An Illinois judge ruled Friday that cameras will be allowed to roll inside a courtroom for singer R. Kelly’s criminal trial later this month.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Cook County Judge Lawrence Flood greenlit the cameras, noting that two of the four alleged victims objected to being filmed during court proceedings. However, Flood, who’s presiding over the criminal case, banned the filming of their testimony due to its graphic nature.
The Grammy-award winning singer is facing 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse involving three underage girls and a woman. Kelly, 52, wasn’t in court Friday and his attorney didn’t object to the motion, according to the outlet.
The New York Post reported that Friday’s ruling also applied to pretrial hearings, meaning that cameras will be permitted into Kelly’s March 22 court date. Photos and videos of the accusers can’t be taken without their consent, according to the tabloid.
While Kelly’s lawyer, Steven Greenberg, supported the judge’s decision, the Tribune noted that his calls for transparency juxtapose Kelly’s private hearings regarding his nonpayment of child support to his ex-wife. Earlier this month, Kelly was rearrested for allegedly owing Andrea Lee more than $160,000 for their three children. He was released from jail last weekend after someone paid the full amount in back child support, officials said.
“It gives the process transparency,” Greenberg said in the lobby of the Leighton Criminal Court Building, according to the Tribune. “People can form their own opinions about what they see, and they don’t have to rely on rumor and innuendo.”
[Featured image: R. Kelly/AP Photo/Matt Marton, Archive]
