R. Kelly faces arrest this morning (20.12.07) if he fails to appear in a Chicago court.
The 'I Believe I Can Fly' singer, who is in the middle of a 45-city tour, failed to appear in court yesterday (19.12.07) on charges of child pornography after his tour bus was stopped by Utah State Police, according to his lawyer Ed Genson.
Cook County prosecutors reportedly pressurised Judge Vincent Gaughan to issue a warrant for Kelly's arrest, insisting the court had already been generous in allowing Kelly to embark on his tour.
Assistant State Attorney Shauna Boliker said: "The very least he could do is be here for his appointed court date."
Gaughan eventually agreed to enter the warrant, but put it on hold until this morning. If the 40-year-old singer fails to appear in court by 9am, he will be arrested.
Genson told the judge his client tried his best to attend yesterday's hearing, but first snow, then Utah authorities, delayed the tour bus on its journey from a concert in Sacramento.
Police pulled the bus over and discovered its log book didn't document enough rest time for the driver, and so ordered it to stop for eight hours.
Kelly faces child pornography charges for allegedly videotaping sex acts with a young teenage girl. He has pleaded not guilty.
Gaughan is expected to set a trial date in the case, which has been pending since 2002.
Kelly's Minneapolis show, which was scheduled for tonight, has been cancelled, and according to his website his next tour date is in Chicago on Friday night (21.12.07). | 
