R. Kelly has been hospitalized due to an overdose after prison staff allegedly provided him with “a lethal amount of medication.” His lawyer claimed he was forcibly taken from the hospital, despite medical advice, as per a statement to CBS News and a federal court filing.
Kelly’s attorney, Beau Brindley, is asking a judge to allow him to serve his sentence at home rather than in the North Carolina prison.
“Mr. Kelly’s life is at risk, and the danger comes from the Bureau of Prisons personnel who are supposed to ensure his safety,” Brindley stated in a motion submitted to the court on Monday.
He argued that the federal Bureau of Prisons is “trying to kill” Kelly to hide crimes related to his case’s investigation.
When CBS News reached out for a comment on the accusations, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson stated, “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not disclose details about the conditions of confinement for any inmate, including medical matters.” The bureau also mentioned it would not comment on ongoing legal cases.
Duke University Hospital, where Kelly was treated, referred inquiries to the Bureau of Prisons.
Court documents obtained by CBS News indicate that Kelly’s legal team has been in discussions with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Julien regarding the emergency release request. In a response filed Monday, Julien remarked, “Kelly has never taken accountability for his years of sexually abusing children, and he likely never will. Undeterred, Kelly now requests this Court to release him indefinitely under the pretext of an elaborate conspiracy.”
According to Brindley, Kelly was placed in solitary confinement earlier in June. He had been in possession of his anxiety and sleep medication, which he had shown to prison staff.
However, Brindley alleges that on Thursday evening, prison staff “provided him with extra medication and advised him to take it.” After taking it, Kelly felt faint and dizzy the next morning.
“He began to see black spots in his vision. Mr. Kelly attempted to stand but collapsed. He crawled to the door of his cell and lost consciousness,” Brindley noted in the motion.
After being taken to a hospital, Kelly was informed that he had received an overdose of his medications, according to Brindley.
Furthermore, at the hospital, Kelly showed doctors his swollen leg, which he had previously sought medical attention for due to a history of blood clots. Allegedly, prison medical staff had taken him off blood thinners.
A scan revealed blood clots in his right leg, left leg, and lungs, Brindley stated.
Kelly was told he needed to remain in the hospital for a week and had surgery scheduled for the clots. However, officers entered his hospital room and removed him.
“He was taken from the hospital against his will and against the doctors’ orders,” Brindley claimed. “Mr. Kelly’s life is in danger at this moment because the Bureau of Prisons denied him critical surgery for his lung clots. This condition could be fatal, and they are allowing it to occur.”
This isn’t the first time Kelly’s attorney has requested his transfer from federal custody due to alleged threats to his life. Earlier in June, Brindley accused prison officials of enlisting a white supremacist to kill Kelly.
Kelly was convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking in New York in 2021 and of child pornography in Chicago the following year. He is serving a 30-year sentence in New York and a 20-year sentence in Chicago, which he is largely serving simultaneously.
