2 notable witnesses react to R. Kelly's acquittal

Jet, July 7, 2008 by Clarence Waldron

Hit singer Sparkle, who testified that it was her teenage relative in the sex tape that was at the center of the recent R. Kelly child pornography trial, told JET that she was surprised at the "not guilty" verdict but has accepted it.

"I feel really at peace. I talked to God the night before the verdict. I really needed to be at peace whether it went one way or the other."

She continues, "I honestly didn't want to see Robert (R. Kelly) go down and go to jail. I just wanted him to get some help."

Kelly had denied he was on the tape having sex with an underage girl and was acquitted on all 14 counts of child pornography (JET, June 30).

Sparkle said she had no regrets testifying against him. "I had to stand up. I had to come forward to speak up."

She introduced her then 12-year-old relative to Kelly. The youngster was a member of a pop Christian family group. Sparkle, whose real name is Stephanie Edwards, hoped he would encourage her musical talents. She said in court she wished now that she had never made the introduction.

The trial caused a rift in her family. Some family members joined Sparkle and testified that the girl in the tape was their relative. Three other relatives said the girl was not a family member.

"In the last few months, the family was trying to get back together. Now it is another rift because I testified. I believe God will bring us back together."

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She advises parents to take more interest in their children's lives: "Our young daughters are getting lost to things like this. You have to be accountable for your young people."

Lisa Van Allen of the Atlanta area was the state prosecution's star witness and testified that she knew it was Kelly and the alleged victim because she had several three-way sexual encounters with the singer and the girl.

She said she was shocked with the not guilty verdict. "I just couldn't understand it. The evidence was there. The jury saw the tape. I testified and told them nothing but the truth about everything that I knew. And they still found him not guilty? That kind of surprised me."

She says she doesn't regret testifying. "It was the right thing to do. It was time to tell the truth."

For more of the interviews with Sparkle and Lisa Van Allen, visit ebonyjet.com.