May 9 is 84 days away...

And that is the latest date — shortly before what will be the six-year anniversary of his indictment for making child pornography — for the start of the trial of Chicago R&B superstar R. Kelly.

The state’s case focuses on one videotape featuring the singer and an allegedly underage girl. But from its first stories on the subject in December 2000, the Chicago Sun-Times has reported that Kelly used his position of fame and influence as a pop superstar to meet numerous girls as young as 15 and have sex with them, according to court records and interviews. Kelly’s attorneys maintain his innocence.

Now comes the claim that one of those girls was the daughter of legendary Chicago music retailer George Daniels and longtime Kelly spokeswoman Regina Daniels. Both of them severed ties with the singer several months ago, but they are only now saying why.

Kelly’s current spokesman Allan Mayer issued this response:

Its hard to take seriously the moral outrage expressed by George and Regina Daniels over R. Kellys relationship with Mr. Daniels adult daughter, Maxine. The fact is that they had no problem with the relationship indeed, they encouraged it while Ms. Daniels was on Mr. Kellys payroll. It was Regina Daniels, then working as a publicist for Mr. Kelly, who persuaded him to attend her step-daughters 21st birthday party. And it was Regina Daniels who shortly thereafter gave her step-daughter Mr. Kellys private phone number, with the admonition: Dont tell your father. It was only after Ms. Daniels resigned her position to avoid being fired for incompetence that her step-daughters relationship suddenly became an issue for her and her husband.

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