Jelani’s wife, Jacqueline Robinson noticed the change in her daughter’s personality, testifying her daughter became “very distant and quiet”. The victim spoke to a school counselor and revealed the horror she was living.
The counselor then alerted the authorities and an investigation was launched. The victim’s younger brother then revealed to one of the child protection workers what he’d seen.
Jelani’s defense allegedly tried to paint Jelani’s wife Jacqueline as a bad mother during their extortion defense.
Jacqueline admitted on the stand that she too beat her children and consumed alcohol excessively. She also admitted to repeatedly drinking and driving during 2015, the year her husband began sexually abusing her daughter. Jelani’s defense questioned if she beat her children into lying about the abuse so she could extort $25 million from Jelani’s superstar sister, Nicki Minaj.
Both Jacqueline and her daughter denied these claims on the stand.
As for why he raped her, the victim said Jelani told her she was sending him signals that she wanted him sexually.
“He had mentioned I was brushing myself on him and that I wanted it to happen,” she said.
Prosecutors reportedly asked the jury to use their “common sense” during their deliberations.
One of the jurors, 67 year old Arthur Naclerio said it was “not hard” to find Jelani guilty, adding that the victim’s testimony was the most convincing testimony, adding:
“Listening to what she went through all that time, and thinking that if it was a lie, how could she have kept it up that long at that age?” he said of her testimony, adding that she came across as smart and educated, reportedly.
After he was found guilty, prosecutors asked that Jelani be immediately put behind bars to await sentencing, as he was free on bond. The judge accepted their request and had the bailiff placed handcuffs on Jelani to be taken away.
Jelani’s defense lawyer, David Schwartz plans to appeal the verdict, claiming he had a lot of evidence that wasn’t allowed to be presented in the case.
Jelani faces up to life in prison.