R. Kelly Trial: Witnesses ID Alleged Victim

(FROM AP) – Four key witnesses on Wednesday (May 21) positively identified the allegedly under-aged girl depicted in the notorious R. Kelly sex tape as the woman prosecutors claim she is. Simha Jamison, 24, testified in the Chicago courtroom that she and the alleged victim were best friends for about 10 years and that she recognizes her as the person seen in the tape. She also said that she and the alleged victim used to visit Kelly at his recording studio starting when they were 12 years old, adding that her friend introduced the R&B singer to her as her ''godfather'' and that he would often give her friend cash gifts between $100 and $500. Jamison said the two also visited the home where authorities say the sex tape was filmed between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1, 2000, though she said she never heard about any sexual relationship between her friend and Kelly.

An aunt and an uncle of the alleged victim also identified the girl on the tape as their niece on Wednesday, and Jamison's father, Peter Thomas, testified that the alleged victim's involvement in the video was the talk of their neighborhood. The alleged victim has herself previously denied that she is the person shown in the sex tape.

During cross-examination of Jamison, defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. suggested that it was possible that Kelly's head was digitally imposed on the body of the man seen having sex in the tape. In a heated cross examination of the aunt, Adam suggested that someone in her family wanted to ''get back at Mr. Kelly'' for a business dispute and hoped to ''extort Kelly'' in a possible civil lawsuit. (AP via Yahoo!)