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Jurors within the R. Kelly trial heard testimony Tuesday from Charles Freeman, a non-public investigator who mentioned he was employed as to seek out and get well any video that may incriminate Kelly and who later sued Kelly for not paying.
Freeman, 52, mentioned he’s a resident of Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. He mentioned again in 1991, he had an organization the place workers took photos at nightclubs and live shows, and he got here into contact with Kelly whereas working with the corporate.
Freeman mentioned he met Kelly whereas enjoying basketball within the midst of a merchandising tour, they usually grew to become “cool and associates.” Freeman mentioned he additionally met Kelly’s enterprise supervisor, Derrel McDavid, in 2000.
Freeman mentioned he first acquired a name from Kelly round January or February 2001, asking him to get well stolen tapes that Kelly had misplaced. He mentioned he was informed he would hear from McDavid and from Kelly’s non-public investigator, Jack Paladino – and he claimed Paladino provided him a reward.
Freeman mentioned he met with McDavid and Paladino at a Kansas Metropolis resort, the place he was requested what he would cost to get well the tapes. He mentioned he introduced individuals with him to the resort for “safety.”
Freeman mentioned he informed them he would cost $1 million – and mentioned he wouldn’t do the job if not paid $1 million. Freeman mentioned a screaming match ensued on the resort.
Later, Freeman mentioned, he acquired a name from Paladino saying they wanted to work one thing out. Freeman mentioned he requested for a contract.
Freeman mentioned in a second assembly with McDavid and Paladino in one other resort room, he introduced a contract to signal saying they might pay him $1 million. He mentioned they refused to signal it and informed him they might ship their very own contract.
Freeman mentioned Paladino informed him the tapes they wished him to get well had been in Atlanta, Georgia, and he would want to go there to get them.
At yet one more assembly, Freeman mentioned, Paladino offered him with a contract – which mentioned he could be given $100,000 to retrieve the tapes and $40,000 for bills. He mentioned he didn’t signal the contract immediately, however ultimately did.
Freeman mentioned he confronted McDavid about the truth that the contract was not for $1 million, to which McDavid mentioned it will look dangerous in the event that they paid him $1 million upfront and he ended up bringing again the unsuitable tape.
Freeman mentioned he was informed to get well a tape that had been stolen from Kelly by his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Van Allen, however nothing a lot was described as to what was on the tape.
Freeman testified that he went to Atlanta and with an tackle in hand that Paladino supplied to get well the tape. The tackle turned out to be a home outdoors of Atlanta – the place Freeman mentioned a younger lady got here to the door when he knocked.
Freeman mentioned he informed the younger lady he had come to get well the “MF tapes you stole from Robert Kelly.” The younger lady put her fingers up, pointed at a TV, and, and walked out of the room, Freeman mentioned.
Freeman mentioned he walked as much as the TV and located two tapes sitting on a stand and one leaning outdoors a VCR. He mentioned he put the latter tape into the VCR to observe it, and upon seeing Kelly on the tape, he took it out of the VCR and grabbed it – together with the opposite two.
Freeman later purchased a VCR and clean tapes at a Walmart in Marietta, Georgia, and went to a good friend’s home – the place he screened all three tapes. One turned out to be a Disney film, one other was a household video of somebody he did not know, and the third was the one Kelly and McDavid wished him to get well, he mentioned.
The tape confirmed Kelly with a “younger woman,” and Kelly was seen “having intercourse, urinating on her, and placing lotion on her face,” Freeman mentioned.
Freeman mentioned the tape first confirmed a room with a black and white checkered ground with a TV, then switched to a bed room. He mentioned Kelly was heard giving the “younger woman” orders, and he or she mentioned, “Daddy my hair is messing up, I’ve to go to high school tomorrow.” Freeman additionally quoted what he mentioned was a reference on the tape to the physique elements of the lady who appeared in it being 14 years previous.
Freeman mentioned he made three copies of the tape, as a result of he didn’t belief McDavid or Paladino. When requested if he nonetheless had copies of the tape in 2019, he mentioned he turned them over to his legal professional – after his title got here up that he was holding little one pornography for Kelly.
Freeman mentioned his legal professional got here to Chicago to get him immunity for the tapes he had, and two of the tapes had been turned over to regulation enforcement. He mentioned he noticed one of many tapes earlier than testifying on Tuesday – and the tape was offered in courtroom as an exhibit.
Freeman mentioned he introduced the tapes again to Kansas Metropolis and put them in a closet in his home. He mentioned he didn’t inform police about them, “as a result of the police wasn’t going to pay me $1 million.”
Freeman mentioned he referred to as McDavid, who got here to Kansas Metropolis to fulfill him on the InterContinental Kansas Metropolis on the Plaza. Freeman mentioned he left three tapes in his closet and solely took one with him.
McDavid and Paladino sat at a desk on the resort and informed Freeman and a person he introduced as “backup muscle” named Jamar to sit down throughout from them, Freeman mentioned. Paladino and McDavid mentioned they wished to see what Freeman had recovered, they usually then requested Freeman and Jamar to depart the room so they may overview it, Freeman mentioned.
Freeman mentioned he and Jamar had been later ushered again into the room, and Freeman mentioned he wanted to receives a commission. McDavid and Paladino mentioned they wanted to convey the tape again to Kelly so he may affirm it was the unique tape, Freeman mentioned.
At that time, Freeman mentioned he acquired right into a shouting match with McDavid about his not having the cash, and Freeman mentioned he “snatched the tape” and left. He mentioned McDavid and Paladino informed him to settle down, they usually simply had to ensure there have been no copies and he was giving them the unique tape.
Freeman mentioned he went on to provide the boys again the tape, and acquired nothing in return. However he mentioned he informed them, “You higher hold your phrase.”
Freeman mentioned he referred to as Paladino’s workplace two days later and was informed they might be again in Kansas Metropolis to provide him the cash. However he mentioned McDavid and Paladino later informed him over the cellphone they’d decided the tape he gave them was not the unique.
McDavid and Paladino referred to as Freeman after arriving in Kansas Metropolis, and informed him to fulfill them at a polygrapher workplace in Mission, Kansas, Freeman mentioned. The polygrapher administered a polygraph check and requested Freeman questions on whether or not he made copies of the tape or confirmed it to anybody, after which informed McDavid Freeman had handed the check, Freeman mentioned.
Freeman mentioned he then acquired a name from Paladino and acknowledged he did, in reality, have one other tape. He mentioned he was informed to convey that tape and he could be paid.
Freeman went to a different assembly with McDavid and Paladino at a Hyatt Regency, bringing Jamar with him. He mentioned he noticed a gun on a mattress when he arrived.
Freeman requested the place the cash was, and was directed to 2 brown luggage. He mentioned he knew these brown luggage didn’t include $1 million, however McDavid and Paladino claimed it was the quantity they’d agreed to within the contract.
Freeman mentioned McDavid shook his hand and mentioned they might give him the remainder of the cash. He mentioned he then took the tape – which he had hid between his pants and his rear finish, and handed it to Paladino.
Happening the elevator, Freeman mentioned he counted the money within the luggage, which amounted to $75,000.
Freeman mentioned he went on to file a lawsuit to get the remainder of the cash. He mentioned the swimsuit was settled with McDavid’s settlement that Freeman could be paid $100,000 each different 12 months till Kelly went to courtroom.
In late 2003 or early 2004, Freeman mentioned McDavid contacted him once more to get well one other tape. Freeman mentioned he anticipated to be paid once more if he did so.
Kelly mentioned McDavid informed him there was one other intercourse tape by which Kelly, Van Allen, and the “younger woman” from the sooner tape appeared. Freeman mentioned he informed McDavid he would want one other $1 million for the tape.
Freeman mentioned he met with McDavid in Olympia Fields, and McDavid informed him this second tape was in Kansas Metropolis. Freeman mentioned McDavid informed him the tape was silent, and reveals the 14-year-old lady receiving oral intercourse from Van Allen whereas Kelly stands behind her.
Freeman mentioned he referred to as some individuals from a selected group McDavid talked about to ask concerning the tape – together with his personal good friend Keith Murrell. He mentioned he talked to Murrell, who confirmed Van Allen had mailed him a tape of the outline McDavid had supplied, and who mentioned Van Allen “knew it was a younger lady and did not need it getting on the market.”
Murrell lived in the identical condominium advanced as Freeman, they usually met there, Freeman mentioned. Freeman mentioned the person let him watch a number of the tape, and a day later, Murrell took him to a good friend’s workplace to make a duplicate “to get some cash.”
Freeman mentioned there was later one other assembly at Kelly’s home in Olympia Fields for which Kelly himself was current. Freeman mentioned he met Kelly in an “ice cream room” – primarily an ice cream store inside Kelly’s home.
At this assembly, Freeman mentioned Kelly informed him they had been associates, and likewise informed him to inform McDavid the reality. Freeman mentioned Kelly wished to ensure Freeman wasn’t working with Chicago Police.
Freeman mentioned there have been additional discussions about fee by which he emphasised that he had not been paid in full, and he assured Kelly he wouldn’t rat him out.
Freeman mentioned McDavid then introduced everybody to the lavatory, and mentioned everybody was going to take all their garments off and get in a close-by rainforest pool to make sure no one was sporting a wire. Freemans help he took off his shirt and stored his shorts on, whereas McDavid stripped to his underwear and acquired within the pool. He mentioned McDavid assured him he would get the remainder of his cash.
McDavid then informed Freeman to observe him in his automobile, and McDavid threw a brown bag of cash via the automobile window.
Earlier than Kelly’s 2008 little one pornography trial related to the tape involving the 14-year-old lady started, Freeman mentioned he referred to as McDavid once more and mentioned he wished the remainder of the cash. Freeman additionally mentioned he was going to carry a “press convention” concerning the trial.
Freeman mentioned he was handed $10,000 extra by Kelly’s assistant, Milton “June” Brown, and didn’t undergo with the press convention. He mentioned McDavid went on to provide him between $150,000 and $170,000.
After Kelly was acquitted within the 2008 trial, Freeman mentioned McDavid informed him Kelly had mentioned “the financial institution is closed.” Freeman mentioned he then sued McDavid, Kelly, and Brown.
The swimsuit was settled and Freeman mentioned he didn’t have contact with them afterward.
Freeman acknowledged that he didn’t name the police concerning the criminal activity that seems on the tapes at any level between 2009 and 2019. He mentioned the explanation was he believed he was going to be paid – and he mentioned he informed them he would not inform on anybody until the police got here after him.
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