“I think they’re using these (challenges) to get rid of African-Americans,” said Sam Adam, Sr., one of R. Kelly’s lawyers.

Jury selection recently concluded in the much talked about R. Kelly Child Pornography trial. However, tensions are high between both sides as the defense accused the prosecution of racial bias.

According to the Associated Press, of the 12 jurors who will open the case, eight are white and four are black. With the four alternate jurors comprised of two blacks, one Hispanic and one white. The Chicago Sun-Times reports, the aforementioned challenges were displayed when the prosecution dismissed a black man -who’s hair was in cornrows like Kelly’s- because of his criminal record. The man was rejected for concealing his criminal record when filling out his questionnaire, and was dismissed by the judge for being dishonest. Yet the defense complained to the Judge that the prosecution “used 50 percent of their challenges on African-Americans.”