LATEST: A Chicago, Illinois judge has refused to ban the public and media from viewing the sex tape which allegedly features the R+B singer having sex with an underage girl. The IGNITION hitmaker has been fighting charges of making child pornography since he was arrested in 2002. The girl in the tape, which was made between 1998 and 2000, could have been as young as 13 years old, prosecutors claim. Earlier this month (01JUN06), the singer - real name ROBERT SYLVESTER KELLY - and prosecutors requested Judge VINCENT GAUGHAN bar the public and media from watching the video, because it would embarrass the girl - who is now 21. On Thursday (08JUN06), the judge ruled the tape should be shown, saying, "This is the whole crux and linchpin of the case. If there was no tape, we wouldn't have a case. "I find there is not an overarching interest for excluding the public and the press from the portion of the trial that is the linchpin." Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of child pornography. A trial date is pending.
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