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Public to see R. Kelly sex tape
Judge calls footage that allegedly shows the R&B star having sex with a minor "the whole crux and linchpin of the case."
For a tape that allegedly shows R&B stepper R. Kelly urinating on an underage girl, Chicago Judge Vincent Gaughan is showing a strong interest in making sure you see it.
R. Kelly
Despite requests from both the prosecution and the defense to prevent the public and the media from viewing the notorious tape, Gaughan ruled late yesterday that the public and the media will be allowed to see the tape Kelly allegedly made of himself having sex with a girl who may have been as young as 13 at the time.
Gaughan based his ruling on the fact that the tape itself is the focal point of Kelly's upcoming trial on 14 counts of child pornography.
"This is the whole crux and linchpin of the case," Gaughan said. "If there was no tape, we wouldn't have a case."
Gaughan has yet to set a trial date.
Attorneys on both sides of the case had based their requests to limit the viewing of the tape to only the jurors, attorneys, and the judge himself because the girl was a minor and because the tape's content allegedly is so graphic and lewd.
Gaughan had hinted earlier in the week that a compromise was in order, possibly allowing members of the press to view the tape by wearing headphones and watching a video monitor that would be turned away from spectators when the tape is played in court.
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