Explaining the reason behind his protective order, Judge Harry Leinenweber claims he wants to ensure the child pornography case is tried in court, and not in the media.
- August 2, 2019
AceShowbiz - A federal judge overseeing R. Kelly's child pornography case in Chicago, Illinois, has barred attorneys from divulging new evidence.
Judge Harry Leinenweber made the decision over the protective order during a hearing on Wednesday, July 31, claiming he wants to ensure the celebrity case is tried in court, and not in the media.
The "I Believe I Can Fly" hitmaker's attorneys objected to the decision, suggesting it could compromise the star's defence as Kelly's accusers appeared on TV shows and documentaries characterising the evidence.
"They are all giving their version of the facts... We should be able to respond," said one lawyer. "They are putting (evidence) in the public domain and tainting the jury pool."
However, prosecutor Angel Krull disputed the claims, saying only one of five accusers appeared in the controversial "Surviving R. Kelly" documentary, which renewed interest in the allegations against the star earlier this year (January 2019).
Krull added "the vast majority of our evidence has never seen the light of day" and should be held from public scrutiny until trial.
In July, the troubled R&B star was indicted in federal courts in New York and Chicago on charges including child sexual exploitation, child pornography production, kidnapping and racketeering.
Kelly will be transported to New York for an arraignment on Friday on related charges.
