A video which allegedly shows singer R. KELLY having sex with an underage girl will be shown to the public, despite attempts to prevent the tape being released. The Bump N Grind hitmaker, 40, was charged with 21 counts of child pornography and sex with an underage girl in 2002, after the tape allegedly showing Kelly with a 14-year-old girl surfaced in his native Chicago, Illinois.

Cook County Criminal Court Judge Vincent Gaughan ruled in 2006 there was not an "overarching interest" in keeping the media and the public from seeing a tape that is the "linchpin" of the case, and upheld his initial decision on Tuesday (15Aug07) despite protestations from Assistant State's Attorney Shauna Boliker to bar the footage from being shown, claiming the tape would be harmful to the alleged victim.

Gaughan maintains he will renege on his decision if the alleged victim agrees to take the witness stand, saying, "If the alleged victim testifies, I'll change the ruling." Kelly has entered a not guilty plea and maintains he is not the man in the video. He will stand trial on 17 September (07) and faces a 15-year jail sentence and a fine of up to $100,000 (#50,000) if he is found guilty of the alleged crimes.

Copyright 2007 WENN