Jury selection begins in R. Kelly's child pornography trial

But defense attorney Marc Martin said the jury pool had been "irrevocably poisoned" by a front-page story in Friday's Chicago Sun-Times that cited unnamed sources talking about a potential witness.

Many of the potential jurors would have read the article on the way to the courthouse, Martin said.

"There is no escaping the fact that the Sun-Times will be in every news box in Cook County," said Martin, adding that the contents of the story were also broadcast on TV and radio stations. "I heard it when I was putting on my tie this morning."

"Somebody out there is trying to sabotage Mr. Kelly's right to a fair trial," Martin said.

As he arrived at the courthouse Friday morning, Kelly didn't acknowledge the crowd outside as he walked through a special entrance. One raucous onlooker shouted "I love you"; another shouted "R. Kelly's a pedophile."

Once a jury's in place, prosecutors will have to surmount several hurdles if they hope to prevail.

Chief among them is that the alleged victim, now 23, says it wasn't her. And Kelly's lawyers -including prominent Chicago attorney Ed Genson -haven't admitted it's Kelly in the video.

The centerpiece of the trial is the video footage, which Gaughan ruled may be shown in open court.

Prosecutors claim the videotape was made sometime between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1 2000, and that the girl was born in September 1984. Kelly was indicted on pornography charges June 5, 2002, after the tape surfaced.

Some of the trial proceedings have been kept secret by the judge, and it's unclear whether prosecutors have sought -or been granted -permission to tell jurors about accusations that Kelly allegedly had sexual relations with other minors.