The trial of US R&B star R Kelly was halted yesterday (May 28th) after the defence team informed the court of a potential new witness.

Defence lawyer Sam Adam Senior told the court that he had no prior knowledge of the mystery witness until they made a telephone call on Wednesday morning.

The trial was halted so that the person could fly to Chicago and to allow time for Kelly’s defence to depose the person.

R Kelly is charged with 14 counts relating to child pornography in connection with a video that appears to show explicit sex acts between an adult man and an underage girl.

The defence argue that the singer, who denies all charges, is not the man in the video.

Announcing the adjournment yesterday, Judge Vincent Gaughan told the court yesterday that he had “no idea what’s going on.”

He did, however, suggest that the potential new witness may be trying to impeach a prosecution witness.

The trial continues.

(by Jason Gregory)