The Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in downtown Chicago will reopen Wednesday after “system failures” prompted a one-day closure of the 60-year-old building, delaying the high-profile trial of singer R. Kelly.
The courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn St. “experienced building-wide system failures that impacted the ability to open the building,” Thomas Bruton, the clerk of the U.S. District Court, said in an emailed statement. “We apologize for the interruptions and inconvenience that delayed several proceedings and jury trials.”
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No further description of the system issues was provided.
The closure delayed proceedings in several ongoing trials at the building, including that of disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly and two former associates on charges related to child pornography and obstruction of justice.
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Kelly’s Chicago federal trial was slated to begin its fourth week on Tuesday morning, when defense attorneys were expected to continue presenting their witnesses.
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The trial has been on a tight schedule. Given continued COVID-19 restrictions, only one courtroom at Dirksen is large enough to handle a multiple-defendant trial, and it is in high demand. If Kelly’s trial lasts much longer than four weeks, it risks conflicting with subsequent trials slated for that courtroom, which could throw off schedules for months to come.
The building closure, coupled with the long holiday weekend, means Kelly’s trial will almost certainly go into a fifth week. Defense attorneys have yet to call several expected witnesses, including co-defendant Derrel McDavid, who was slated to begin testifying on his own behalf Tuesday.
Closing arguments are likely to be lengthy, and jury deliberations are always unpredictable — especially given the relatively complicated charges.
Kelly, 55, faces an indictment charging him with 13 counts of producing and receiving child pornography, enticing minors to engage in criminal sexual activity, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Also charged are former Kelly associates McDavid and Milton “June” Brown, who are accused in an alleged scheme to buy back incriminating sex tapes that had been taken from Kelly’s collection and to hide years of alleged sexual abuse of underage girls.
