R. Kelly was hospitalized last week following allegations that he was overmedicated by prison staff while in solitary confinement, according to documents filed by his legal team.
The 58-year-old singer, whose real name is Robert Kelly, is currently incarcerated at Butner Correctional Facility in North Carolina, serving two federal sentences: one for sex trafficking and racketeering, and another for child pornography. His projected release date is December 21, 2045, as per the Bureau of Prisons.
In a court filing reviewed by CNN, Kelly’s attorneys are once again requesting an emergency release, asserting that the “Federal Bureau of Prisons is taking active steps to kill” him. The government has dismissed these claims as “fanciful.”
The new filing claims that Kelly was placed in solitary confinement on June 10, just hours after submitting a separate emergency request alleging a conspiracy involving Bureau of Prisons officials to have another inmate harm him.
According to his lawyers, Kelly took his regular medication on June 12 but was later instructed by prison staff to take additional dosages. They assert that on July 13, he experienced faintness, dizziness, and visual disturbances before losing consciousness. He was transported to Duke University Hospital, where he reportedly discovered he had been given an overdose of his medications, which posed a serious threat to his health. He remained hospitalized for two days.
The filing also alleges that prison officials compelled Kelly to leave the hospital before he completed necessary medical treatment for ongoing blood clot issues, doing so “against his will and against the directives of the doctors.”
In response, federal prosecutors accused Kelly of fabricating claims to obtain release, describing the motion as “deeply unserious and theatrical” and implying it disrespects the suffering of his victims. They urged the court not to allow Kelly to turn legal proceedings into a sensational media affair.
A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons stated that for “privacy, safety, and security reasons,” they do not disclose any details regarding the conditions of confinement or health issues of individuals in custody, nor do they comment on ongoing litigation.
Kelly’s attorney, Beau Brindley, expressed hope in seeking intervention from former President Donald Trump, who he believes may empathize with Kelly’s situation due to the president’s own legal challenges. “Whether a pardon or commutation we are looking for freedom for R. Kelly,” Brindley stated. “It’s my continued work to seek the intervention of the President of the United States on Robert’s behalf… I believe President Trump is the one person who has the power and the will to stand up to people like this.”
In 2023, Kelly was handed a 20-year prison sentence in a federal court in Chicago after being convicted on child pornography and enticement charges. At that time, he was already serving a 30-year sentence imposed for his 2021 convictions related to racketeering and sex trafficking in New York.
Most of Kelly’s sentences are being served concurrently. The artist, once celebrated as one of the most successful R&B musicians of the 1990s and 2000s for hits like “Bump N’ Grind,” “Ignition (Remix),” and “I Believe I Can Fly,” has earned three Grammy Awards and received a total of 26 nominations, the latest in 2015.