Disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly was reportedly hospitalized last week after allegedly receiving a life-threatening “overdose quantity” of medication from prison staff, according to explosive claims made by his legal team in a recent court filing. His attorneys are also reiterating claims that Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officials are involved in a “murder-for-hire plot” targeting the incarcerated artist.
The legal team for the 58-year-old singer, currently serving lengthy federal sentences for sex trafficking, racketeering, and child pornography at Butner Correctional Facility in North Carolina, filed documents alleging his health is in grave danger within the prison system.
Alleged Overdose Leads to Hospitalization
According to the court filing, R. Kelly took his regular medication dose on June 12 but was later instructed by prison staff to take additional medication. His attorneys claim that on the morning of June 13, Kelly awoke feeling “faint” and “dizzy,” experienced “black spots in his vision,” and subsequently collapsed, losing consciousness after attempting to crawl to his cell door.
Onsite medical staff were reportedly unable to assist him. Kelly was then transported by ambulance to Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, where the filing claims he learned he had been administered an “overdose quantity” of his medications that threatened his life. He was hospitalized for two days.
Claims of Forced Removal and Denied Medical Care
Kelly’s legal team alleges that he was forcibly removed from Duke University Hospital on June 13, just two days after being admitted, and returned to solitary confinement at Butner. This removal was reportedly against medical advice. The filing contends that Kelly was scheduled for surgery to treat ongoing blood clots that required a two-week hospital stay. Attorneys claim that within an hour of prison officers assigned to Kelly at the hospital informing Butner officials of the planned surgery and extended stay, “officers with guns came into his hospital room and removed him.” His lawyers assert that by denying him necessary surgery for potentially life-threatening blood clots, the Bureau of Prisons is effectively “letting it happen.”
Solitary Confinement and Alleged Murder Plot
The alleged overdose incident follows earlier, equally serious claims made by Kelly’s legal team. They state he was placed in solitary confinement “against his will” on June 10, shortly after filing a separate emergency motion seeking his immediate release. That prior filing alleged that three Bureau of Prisons officials had devised a plot to have him killed by another inmate, identified as Mikeal Glenn Stine. Stine allegedly told Kelly that his life was “absolutely in danger.” Kelly’s attorneys claim his life remains in jeopardy and that the BOP is “taking active steps to kill” him.
Lawyers Seek Emergency Release, Allege Corruption
Based on these allegations, R. Kelly’s legal team is again seeking an emergency release from prison. Attorney Beau Brindley stated in the filing that “Mr. Kelly needs this court’s intervention. His life actually depends on it.” He further asserted that “Federal officers have solicited the murder of R. Kelly because he intends to expose the corruption underlying his federal prosecutions,” and that the alleged overdose and hospital removal removed “all doubt” about the officials’ intentions. Brindley also mentioned difficulty communicating with Kelly after the incident.
Government Dismisses Claims as ‘Fanciful’
Federal prosecutors have vehemently pushed back against Kelly’s claims, describing the emergency motion as “fanciful” and “theatrical.” They argue the filing was improperly made and “makes a mockery of the harm suffered by Kelly’s victims.” Prosecutors labeled Kelly a “master manipulator” and contended that granting his release to home confinement would set a dangerous precedent, potentially allowing “every convicted murderer, rapist, and terrorist” a chance at freedom.
Bureau of Prisons Responds
When asked for comment on the situation, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons stated they do not discuss the conditions of confinement or medical issues for incarcerated individuals due to privacy, safety, and security reasons. They also declined to comment on pending litigation.
Pardon Efforts Continue
Despite the denials from the government and BOP, Kelly’s attorney, Beau Brindley, confirmed he is still pursuing a potential presidential pardon or commutation for Kelly from President Donald Trump. Brindley stated he believes President Trump is the “one person who has the power and the will to stand up to people like this.”
R. Kelly is currently serving a 30-year sentence from a New York conviction and a mostly concurrent 20-year sentence from a Chicago conviction. His current projected release date is December 21, 2045, at which point he would be 78 years old. The latest legal filings highlight the intense battle being waged by his defense team regarding his safety and medical care while incarcerated.
