Media Seeks Transparency in R Kelly Trial

By Margaret Lyons in News on Apr 29, 2008 10:07PM

WBEZ joined the Trib, Sun-Times and Associated Press today in filing a petition to unseal R. Kelly's court proceedings. Kelly's trial is scheduled to start May 9, a mere six years after charges that he videotaped himself having sex with underage girls were filed against him.

The petition was filed in Illinois Supreme Court to overturn decisions from Cook County Circuit Court Judge Vincent M. Gaughan, who has kept all filings and records of meetings sealed, and has banned lawyers involved with the case from discussing it with the media . Gaughan says he wants to do what he can to make sure Kelly's jury pool is unbiased and that the press could have all the documentation after the trial is over.

Good thing there's no information out there at all about the case. Oh, wait. Here's our favorite comprehensive timeline of the accusations, by former Reader critic Bill Wyman (h/t), which starts with Jim DeRogatis's 2000 story about Kelly's predilection for underage girls. [Trib, Law.com, photo of Kelly from his MySpace page]