The arguments in court may have ended, but the dispute about what the R. Kelly trial means is likely to rage for some time.
Pop critic Jim DeRogatis (who broke the story of the tape at the center of the case) and columnist Mary Mitchell have their say in today's Sun-Times.
And Bill Wyman, who has been closely following the case at his blog, Hitsville, says he always insisted you can’t go wrong betting that the rich guy gets off.
But Slate's Josh Levin thinks "it's possible that the jury would've acquitted if the defense had said absolutely nothing."
That girl on the go thinks the main difference between R. Kelly's trial and O.J. Simpson's was that the victim wasn't white.
To an outside observer looking at the case in the context of other celebrity trials, Kelly's acquittal may seem unsurprising. But it's worth noting that in a private last-minute straw poll of the 20 plus reporters in court to cover the case, not one predicted that Kelly would be completely cleared (many did predict a hung jury, however).
Whether you think this says more about the media or the jury probably depends on your own view of the verdict.
In that vein, here's one final, sad footnote: TV reporter Randi Belisomo's personal take on a small moment at the margins of the Kelly trial.
It’s unbelievable that celebrities get off the hook when it comes to such serious crimes. There is absolutely no justice system for them. I bet that if it was any regular person facing crimes like this that the jury would of convicted them. What kind of message is this country sending.. that if your a celebrity that is in the eyes of the people everyday you can get away with anything? Apparently it worked for OJ, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and god the list goes on. I mean how much more god foresaking evidence can you possibly need to know that R Kelly is guilty. These people got paid off like they always do when it comes to celebrity cases. The girl and her family were paid off to keep quite as well as the jury. These people should be treated like criminals just like R Kelly should’ve of been convicted. Of course… unless they are rich and famous then it’s obvious the law doesnt apply to them like it would to 98% of other americans.
I TOTALLY AGREE IF R. KELLY HAD A PUBLIC DEFENDER HE WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN JAIL.