From CNN
A former tour manager for R. Kelly told jurors on Friday that he was with Kelly and the late singer Aaliyah the day they applied for a marriage license in 1994, when she was just 15 years old.
Demetrius Smith, 65, testified reluctantly, at times telling US District Judge Ann Donnelly he "didn't want to be here, period."
And yet, Smith testified he grew concerned about the pair's relationship, saying he felt they were "too friendly," "playful" and that at one point he asked Kelly if he was "messin'" with the teen.
"Aaliyah was young. I didn't want people to have the wrong vision of things," Smith testified.
When Kelly was on tour in August 1994, Smith testified the singer said, as he was about to walk on stage to perform: "Aaliyah is in trouble, man."
Smith testified Kelly was performing out of state, and that Kelly wanted to get back to Chicago right after the show, despite having more shows scheduled in the coming days.
On the trip back to Chicago, Smith said he learned what happened: Aaliyah believed she was pregnant, and Kelly was worried about going to jail because Aaliyah was only 15 years old.
Smith said he offered to help obtain an official state ID for Aaliyah, and ultimately took her to a welfare office, testifying that he bribed a worker at the office to help make Aaliyah a welfare ID card, but that it did not show her date of birth.
"I made her (the worker) an offer and she took the money," Smith testified. "I gave her $500."
