R. Kelly’s lawyers are planning to call a surprising defense witness during the singer’s trial for child pornography next month–the 23-year-old woman who was allegedly Kells’ co-star in the sex tape that rests at the center of the case, who will be accompanied by a cast of supporting witnesses that’s big enough to fill a hip-hopera:

Prosecutors are expected to call to the stand her friends, relatives, friends’ parents and others to testify she was the girl in the video and appears to be about 14 when it was made.

The video shows a man prosecutors say is Kelly engaging in sex acts with and urinating on the young girl. Out of an original 21 counts of child pornography against Kelly, 14 remain. The singer-songwriter of “I Believe I Can Fly,” who has sold 37 million albums, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Kelly refers to the girl as his “goddaughter” on the album liner notes of his “TP2.com” album. Her father played bass for Kelly. The girl and her parents reportedly have told police and a grand jury that she was not the girl in the video.

But the girl’s aunt confirmed for the Sun-Times it was her niece on the video and that she appeared to be about 14 at the time.

At a court hearing two summers ago, the girl’s former best friend testified it was her friend in the video and that she remembers the time well, when both were 14, because both girls had the same haircut.

“The same haircut”? Such evidence. This is really shaping up to be well-timed to next month’s tv premiere of the Trapped In The Closet series. Perhaps a rewritten ending is in the cards?

Look who might take the stand for R. Kelly [Sun-Times]