CHICAGO, June 9 (UPI) -- The public at a child pornography trial will be allowed to view a tape that allegedly shows R&B singer R. Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Cook County, Ill., Judge Vince Gaughan said the tape was the main evidence in Kelly's child pornography trial, The Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.
Kelly has been charged with 14 counts of child pornography. Prosecutors say the videotape in question was made sometime form January 1998 to October 2000. Kelly has pleaded innocent.
Defense lawyers and prosecutors agreed that the public should not view the tape at the hearing. The two sides did disagreed on whether the media should be allowed to view the videotape. Prosecutors thought the media should see the video; the defense did not.
But Gaughan said the tape should be played in open court.
"This is the whole crux or linchpin of the case against Mr. Kelly," Gaughan said in the Sun-Times report of the case. "Without it, the case wouldn't exist. The press is very important and can't be excluded."
