Woman Says R. Kelly Had Her ‘Dress Like a Girl Scout’

The singer’s lawyers sought to cast the witness, who said Mr. Kelly began abusing her when she was 16, as a disgruntled and jealous fan.

Jerhonda Pace was only 16, but R. Kelly, the superstar singer who was having sex with her, wanted her to dress even younger, Ms. Pace told jurors on Thursday. “He wanted me to put my hair up in pigtails and dress like a Girl Scout,” said Ms. Pace, 28, the first of Mr. Kelly’s accusers to testify at the R&B artist’s criminal trial. She said that Mr. Kelly often requested the outfit before filming their sexual interactions with a camera on a tripod. Her testimony in Federal District Court in Brooklyn this week marked the first time that one of Mr. Kelly’s alleged victims has ever taken the stand in a criminal case over the decades of allegations around him.