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R. Kelly Will Not Testify In His Chicago Trial

The disgraced singer maintains his innocence.

R. Kelly has opted out of testifying in his Chicago trial.

According to CBS, the singer told the judge on Thursday (Sept. 1) that he would not take the stand in his own defense. The 55-year-old also did not testify during his trial in New York, in which he was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Kelly is on trial for a 13-count indictment, which includes child pornography and obstruction-of-justice charges in Chicago, Illinois.

The Chicago trial originates from the 2008 case where Kelly was acquitted. In 2002, he faced 21 counts of making child sexual abuse videos. Police and the FBI verified the authenticity of one particular recording, but a jury in 2008 could not prove that the person in the recording was a minor, and Kelly was set free.

RELATED: Avid R. Kelly Fan Who Made Videos Supporting Him Charged With Threatening Federal Prosecutors

According to The New York Times, federal prosecutors allege Kelly and two co-defendants, business manager Derrel McDavid and former assistant Milton "June" Brown, fixed that state trial. Kelly is accused of arranging for the girl and her parents to travel overseas to prevent them from talking with police before his indictment and later instructed them to lie to a grand jury about the case.

McDavid will take the stand, but Brown has declined.

Earlier this week, Kelly’s defense team filed a motion for an acquittal, which was denied by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber.

R. Kelly has maintained his innocence in both the New York and Chicago cases.

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