R. Kelly Wants Defense Attorney Who Got Michael Jackson Acquitted to Join Legal Team

R. Kelly is hoping he can persuade one of the top criminal defense lawyers in the country to join his legal team, and figures since the guy successfully got Michael Jackson acquitted he should be able to guide the singer through his criminal case.

Sources close to Kelly tell The Blast, the "Trapped in the Closet" singer made it clear he wants attorney Thomas Mesereau to join his criminal defense team.

We're told Mesereau had been involved in a lengthy trial out of Houston, and had been unable to lend his services, but he did in fact connect with Kelly on a FaceTime call within the last month.

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We're told the two discussed the possibility of Mesereau joining the team, and the attorney told Kelly he would be interested in coming aboard.

Mesereau is no stranger to handling high-profile cases, as he was the lead attorney on Michael Jackson's 2005 criminal trial in Santa Barbara County. MJ had been indicted with several crimes, including 4 counts of molesting a minor, 4 counts of intoxicating a minor to molest him, 1 count of attempted child molestation, 1 count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive, and conspiring to commit extortion and child abduction.

Mesereau put on a masterful defense, and after 32 hours and 7 days of deliberation, the jury found Jackson not guilty on all counts.

As we reported, Kelly, who has already been charged with 10 counts of sexual abuse in Chicago, is staring down the barrel of two federal indictments as officials wrap up their investigation, including hearing testimony from multiple witnesses associated with the singer.

Earlier this week we spoke with Kelly's attorney, Raed Shalabi, who said the singer believes he can get a fair shake in Chicago and is feeling positive about defending himself in court.