WBEZ has joined the fight with other local news organizations to unseal records in the R. Kelly case.

Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan has put a gag order on the R. Kelly child pornography case. And the court documents are sealed.

WBEZ is seeking to make those records public along with the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and the Associated Press.

Damon Dunn is representing the newspapers. He says opening the proceedings won’t jeopardize R&B singer Kelly’s right to a fair trial.

DUNN: We felt this was important and unusual case in some respect is that there are really no findings as to why these documents are secret. In effect the reason for the secrecy is also kept secret.

On May 8 – a day before the trial is scheduled to begin – there’s a hearing on the open-records matter. Kelly has pled not guilty to the 14 counts of child pornography.

I’m Natalie Moore, Chicago Public Radio.