Friday, May 23, 2008
R&B HAS BEEN SPARKLE TAKES THE STAND AGAINST THE MAN THAT DISCOVERED HER
Posted by THE fly GIRL at 9:51 AM
Another woman identified both the alleged victim and R. Kelly in the singer's sex tape in court today, testifying the girl was a minor when the recording was made. Audrey Hampton, a 23-year-old student at the University of Wisconsin, said she played basketball with the girl and went to school with her for several years.
"There's no question" that's her friend, Hampton said, adding that she recognized her face, voice and some of her mannerisms, such as "the way she licked the bottom of her lip." She admitted under cross-examination, however, that she couldn't recognize her friend's body per se.
Hampton's mother also testified, saying she found the tape in her daughter's bedroom in early 2000, watched it and promptly threw it away without ever showing it to the police.
But the real came with the days final witness.
Wearing hoop earrings and facial glitter, Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards clashed Thursday with defense lawyer Ed Genson when he accused her of testifying against R. Kelly for revenge and money.
Edwards had claimed a relative appeared with Kelly on a sex videotape.
Genson's cross-examination of Edwards grew so fierce, the two ended up shouting at each other. Edwards sarcastically called the 66-year-old lawyer "Sweetie."
"I am not your sweetie!" Genson bellowed.
Edwards said her extended family was once "as thick as thieves. You couldn't break the chain."
But a rift opened in December 2001, when Edwards got a call from a lawyer named Buddy Meyers, she said. Meyers wanted her to see a sex videotape that apparently featured a member of her family, Edwards testified. He sent an assistant to Edwards' apartment to show her the tape.
Edwards said she knew instantly the girl on the tape was her relative -- and that the man was Kelly. But others in the family did not want to see the tape.
Edwards recounted how Kelly launched her singing career, writing and producing her million-selling first album.
After that, she broke from Kelly, she said, and never again achieved the same success.
At one point, she introduced him to her young relative. "He liked her spirit. She was a very jolly person at the time," Edwards said. "She was my heart."
Edwards dabbed tears from her eyes during direct examination. But under cross-examination by Genson, she kept her composure.
She said that in spite of no longer working with Kelly, "He was my homeboy. We were still cool."
"You weren't angry you'd been terminated?" Genson asked.
After breaking with Kelly, Edwards talked about a record deal with Barry Hankerson, a producer with a record label.
"Was part of the deal you were talking about doing something bad to Robert?" Genson said.
"No," Edwards said.
The tension mounted as Genson asked if Edwards knew the tape was being sold all around Oak Park, where the family lived. "You don't know if someone put together a tape ... of old footage," Genson said.
"Sir, it's Robert [Kelly] and [the alleged victim] on that tape," Edwards said.
"You don't like Robert!" Genson said.
"I know my family," Edwards retorted.
Also on Thursday, a woman was arrested outside the courtroom after she shouted "Free R. Kelly!" at the jurors as they got off the elevator. She was taken into custody on a contempt charge and held in lieu of $50,000 bail. The jury told the judge they didn't hear what she said and the day continued as scheduled.
SOURCE 1
SOURCE 2
"There's no question" that's her friend, Hampton said, adding that she recognized her face, voice and some of her mannerisms, such as "the way she licked the bottom of her lip." She admitted under cross-examination, however, that she couldn't recognize her friend's body per se.
Hampton's mother also testified, saying she found the tape in her daughter's bedroom in early 2000, watched it and promptly threw it away without ever showing it to the police.
But the real came with the days final witness.
Wearing hoop earrings and facial glitter, Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards clashed Thursday with defense lawyer Ed Genson when he accused her of testifying against R. Kelly for revenge and money.
Edwards had claimed a relative appeared with Kelly on a sex videotape.
Genson's cross-examination of Edwards grew so fierce, the two ended up shouting at each other. Edwards sarcastically called the 66-year-old lawyer "Sweetie."
"I am not your sweetie!" Genson bellowed.
Edwards said her extended family was once "as thick as thieves. You couldn't break the chain."
But a rift opened in December 2001, when Edwards got a call from a lawyer named Buddy Meyers, she said. Meyers wanted her to see a sex videotape that apparently featured a member of her family, Edwards testified. He sent an assistant to Edwards' apartment to show her the tape.
Edwards said she knew instantly the girl on the tape was her relative -- and that the man was Kelly. But others in the family did not want to see the tape.
Edwards recounted how Kelly launched her singing career, writing and producing her million-selling first album.
After that, she broke from Kelly, she said, and never again achieved the same success.
At one point, she introduced him to her young relative. "He liked her spirit. She was a very jolly person at the time," Edwards said. "She was my heart."
Edwards dabbed tears from her eyes during direct examination. But under cross-examination by Genson, she kept her composure.
She said that in spite of no longer working with Kelly, "He was my homeboy. We were still cool."
"You weren't angry you'd been terminated?" Genson asked.
After breaking with Kelly, Edwards talked about a record deal with Barry Hankerson, a producer with a record label.
"Was part of the deal you were talking about doing something bad to Robert?" Genson said.
"No," Edwards said.
The tension mounted as Genson asked if Edwards knew the tape was being sold all around Oak Park, where the family lived. "You don't know if someone put together a tape ... of old footage," Genson said.
"Sir, it's Robert [Kelly] and [the alleged victim] on that tape," Edwards said.
"You don't like Robert!" Genson said.
"I know my family," Edwards retorted.
Also on Thursday, a woman was arrested outside the courtroom after she shouted "Free R. Kelly!" at the jurors as they got off the elevator. She was taken into custody on a contempt charge and held in lieu of $50,000 bail. The jury told the judge they didn't hear what she said and the day continued as scheduled.
SOURCE 1
SOURCE 2
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