R Kelly sextape to be shown in court

Reuters

IN THE CLOSET AND ON VIDEO? A videotape allegedly showing R&B artist R Kelly having sex with an underage girl is to be shown in court.

Relevant offers

A videotape allegedly showing R and B singer R Kelly having sex with an underage girl will be shown in court.

Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan has upheld his decision to allow the media and public to view the footage despite prosecutors appeal against the initial ruling.

The prosecution claimed screening the tape in open court would re-victimise the girl.

But Judge Gaughan pointed out the girl - who prosecutors claim is seen in the video - has denied it is her.

Prosecutors claim the video was made between January 1998 and October 2000, when the girl may have been as young as 13.

I Believe I Can Fly singer R Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of child pornography and maintains he is not the man in the video.

The underage girl he is accused of having sex with is to testify in his defence.

The 40-year-old star was charged with 21 counts of child pornography and sex with an underage girl in 2002, after the tape surfaced in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

Despite confusion over the tape, the girl's aunt, Kelly's former protege Sparkle, believes it is her niece in the video and the singer - real name Stephanie Edwards - is set to testify on behalf of the prosecution.

Kelly will stand trial on 17 September and if found guilty faces a 15-year jail sentence and a fine of up to $US100,000.

- Z_Bang! Showbiz