R. Kelly’s request for home detention was denied after he claimed prison officials were plotting to kill him.
R. Kelly had his emergency plea for home confinement tossed by a federal judge in Chicago on Thursday (June 19) after claiming prison staff at FCI Butner in North Carolina were conspiring to kill him.
The court rejected the motion, stating that it lacked jurisdiction because Kelly was incarcerated outside the judge’s district, CBS News reports.
The singer’s legal team argued that his life is at risk behind bars, accusing prison officials of orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme and retaliating against him after he tried to expose it.
In the emergency filing, Kelly’s lawyers alleged that staff at the North Carolina facility enlisted another inmate to kill him to stop him from revealing a plot to intercept his mail and manipulate witnesses.
Attorney Beau Brindley said the Bureau of Prisons responded to the filing by isolating Kelly in a cell under harsh conditions.
“Mr. Kelly is now living in solitary confinement,” Brindley said. “He cannot call his family. He cannot eat the food he purchased from the commissary, which he stores in his locker. The prison officials refuse to give it to him. Mr. Kelly has spiders crawling over him as he tries to sleep. He is alone in the dark in miserable conditions.”
Kelly’s team also claimed he’s too scared to eat food from the prison kitchen due to fears of being poisoned.
Prosecutors Slam R. Kelly’s Allegations
Federal prosecutors fired back, calling the allegations “repugnant,” and accused Kelly of using the court system as a publicity tool.
They argued the motion had no legal standing and was unrelated to his conviction or sentence.
The judge canceled a planned hearing and clarified that her court has no authority over prison conditions or claims of attempted murder.
Her role is limited to reviewing legal challenges to Kelly’s conviction or sentencing.
Kelly is currently serving a 30-year sentence at FCI Butner for racketeering, sex trafficking and child pornography charges.
Earlier this week, Brindley said they plan to file a motion to overturn Kelly’s convictions based on what they describe as newly discovered evidence. He also confirmed they will seek his release on bond.
In a separate move, Brindley publicly appealed to Donald Trump. The attorney asked for a presidential pardon on the grounds that Kelly’s safety was in jeopardy while incarcerated.
Related
