Disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly was recently hospitalized from federal prison, sparking a flurry of dramatic claims from his legal team that paint a dire picture of his safety and medical care while incarcerated. His lawyers allege he suffered a drug overdose caused by prison officials and was subsequently denied critical medical treatment, linking these events to a larger, alleged plot by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) staff to kill him.
Federal prosecutors, however, have vehemently dismissed these allegations, calling them “fanciful,” “theatrical,” and a “mockery” of the harm Kelly inflicted upon his victims.
Kelly, 58, is serving a 30-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Butner, North Carolina, following convictions for racketeering, sex trafficking, child pornography, and enticement in federal courts in New York and Chicago.
Lawyers Allege Overdose and Forced Hospital Removal
According to a June 17 court filing by Kelly’s legal team, obtained by USA TODAY and detailed in other reports, the singer’s recent hospitalization stemmed from an alleged medication overdose. His lawyers claim that after being placed in solitary confinement on June 10 (which they say was against his will, shortly after they filed a previous motion for his release), prison staff provided him with an “overdose quantity” of anxiety and sleep medication on June 12.
The filing states that in the early hours of June 13, Kelly woke up feeling faint and dizzy, saw “black spots” in his vision, collapsed, and lost consciousness. After onsite medical staff couldn’t help, he was transported by ambulance to Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Reports indicate he was hospitalized for two days.
Adding to their claims, Kelly’s lawyers allege he was forcibly removed from Duke University Hospital against medical advice. While hospitalized for the alleged overdose, Kelly reportedly showed doctors a swollen leg he had been seeking treatment for. Scans allegedly revealed blood clots in both his legs and lungs. According to the legal team, hospital doctors advised Kelly needed to stay for approximately seven days and undergo surgery to address the clots. However, within about an hour of officers contacting FCI Butner, armed officers reportedly entered his hospital room and removed him, returning him to solitary confinement.
His lawyers contend that Kelly’s life is now in jeopardy because the Bureau of Prisons allegedly denied him necessary surgery for these clots, suggesting the agency is allowing a potentially fatal condition to persist. They also claimed prison medical staff had previously taken Kelly off blood thinners despite his history.
Explosive Allegations of a “Murder Plot”
These medical claims are set against the backdrop of even more extraordinary allegations previously filed by Kelly’s lawyers in an emergency motion on June 12. In that filing, they claimed three Bureau of Prisons officials had devised a plot to have Kelly killed by another inmate. One report specifically mentioned the alleged plot involved a member or members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang.
The lawyers allege this plot was an attempt to silence Kelly, preventing him from revealing compromising information about misconduct within the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the BOP itself. A sworn declaration reportedly supporting these claims was filed by Mikeal Glenn Stine, who described himself as a “Brotherhood honcho” and stated he wanted BOP officials held accountable for using inmates.
Kelly’s lawyer, Beau Brindley, reiterated the seriousness of their claims in a statement, asserting that the alleged overdose and subsequent treatment demonstrate that prison officials “want R. Kelly dead before the crimes committed against him in his cases are exposed.” He argued that the courts are not acting quickly enough to counter the alleged threat.
Seeking Emergency Release and a Presidential Pardon
Based on the alleged imminent threat to Kelly’s life, his legal team has filed emergency motions seeking his immediate release from prison and placement into home detention.
In a striking move, Brindley has also publicly called upon former President Donald Trump for intervention, stating that Trump might be the “only person who can save the life of R. Kelly.” Kelly’s lawyers have reportedly indicated they are in conversations with individuals close to the White House regarding a potential presidential pardon.
Government Dismisses Claims as “Fanciful” and “Theatrical”
Federal prosecutors have responded forcefully to Kelly’s motions and claims. In court filings, they have labeled the allegations as “fanciful,” “theatrical,” “fantastic,” and “deeply unserious.”
Prosecutors not only pointed out logistical and procedural issues with the filings but also launched direct accusations against Kelly. They called him a “master manipulator” and stated that his motion “makes a mockery of the harm suffered by Kelly’s victims.” They argued that releasing a convicted individual like Kelly to home confinement, despite his severe sentences for sex crimes and child pornography, would set a dangerous precedent, implying that “every convicted murderer, rapist, and terrorist will have a newfound shot at freedom.”
Adding another layer to the conflicting accounts, sources speaking to ABC News reportedly stated that R. Kelly was taken to the hospital not for an overdose, but for “routine medical care” and was subsequently released back to the prison.
Official statements from the Bureau of Prisons and Duke University Hospital have been limited. The Bureau of Prisons has declined to comment on “pending litigation” or the specific conditions of confinement or medical issues for any incarcerated individual, citing privacy, safety, and security reasons – a standard response in such situations. Duke University Hospital has reportedly deferred comment to the Bureau of Prisons.
The dramatic allegations and counter-claims are expected to be central to upcoming legal proceedings as R. Kelly’s legal team continues to pursue his emergency release.
