R Kelly rushed to hospital after prison 'overdose' plot, his lawyers say
Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is currently serving time at the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner, North Carolina, after being convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering in 2021.
A year later, he was found guilty on three charges of producing child sexual abuse images and three charges of enticement of minors for sex.
The 58-year-old was taken to hospital on Friday after prison staff "administered an overdose of his medication", according to a court document filed by his lawyer.
The document, filed on Tuesday, reads: "Mr. Kelly's life is in danger, and that danger is coming from Bureau of Prisons officials and their actions.
"Mr. Kelly needs this Court's intervention. His life actually depends on it."
Nicole Blank Becker, one of Kelly's lawyers, said he is in solitary confinement and that she spoke with him on Monday.
"What is happening right now with him is insane," she said. "I hope that this really results in someone, somewhere, somehow getting ahold of him today and getting him back in the hospital."
A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement that "for privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual, including medical and health-related issues".
"Additionally, the Bureau of Prisons does not comment on pending litigation or matters that are the subject of legal proceedings," they added.
The allegation is the latest in a line of similar claims from the singer's legal team, who last week filed a motion accusing the Bureau of Prisons of instructing another inmate to kill Kelly.
A motion filed by Kelly's legal team claimed Mikeal Glenn Stine, who is alleged to be a member of the Aryan Brotherhood gang and has a terminal cancer diagnosis, was given a chance to "to live out the last of those months as a free man" in exchange for killing the singer.
The next day, his legal team filed additional material saying he had been moved to solitary confinement and denied access to his lawyer.
Prosecutors rejected the claims as "repugnant".
Their written response said: "Kelly has never taken responsibility for his years of sexually abusing children, and he probably never will.
"Undeterred, Kelly now asks this Court to release him from incarceration indefinitely under the guise of a fanciful conspiracy."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a middle-class woman slipping into sex addiction. After an 'unforgivable' act at my best friend's birthday, I've been kicked out the group chat: ASK JANA
Dear Jana, I'm fresh out of a divorce and dating this incredible guy, but he turns into a detective on steroids whenever my past comes up.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
West Virginia governor to deploy National Guard troops to US capital
Aug 16 (Reuters) - West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey is deploying 300 to 400 National Guard troops to the District of Columbia at the request of the Trump administration, the governor's office said in a statement on Saturday. The deployment is "a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation" and will include providing equipment and specialized training alongside the "approximately 300-400 skilled personnel as directed," the statement, opens new tab said. Drew Galang, a spokesperson for Morrissey, said the state's National Guard received the order to send equipment and personnel to D.C. late on Friday and was working to organize the deployment. Earlier this week President Donald Trump said he was deploying hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington and temporarily taking over the city's police department to curb what he depicted as a crime and homelessness emergency in the nation's capital. A White House official said on Saturday more National Guard troops would be called in to Washington to "protect federal assets, create a safe environment for law enforcement officials to carry out their duties when required, and provide a visible presence to deter crime." According to U.S. Justice Department data, violent crime in 2024 hit a 30-year low in Washington, technically a self-governing federal district under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress. District of Columbia officials and the Trump administration negotiated a deal on Friday to keep D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's appointed police chief in charge of the police department after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit to block the federal takeover of the department. Trump, a Republican who has suggested he could take similar actions in other Democratic-controlled cities, has sought to expand the powers of the presidency in his second term, inserting himself into the affairs of major banks, law firms and elite universities. It is not clear how the administration could deploy National Guard troops elsewhere. A federal judge in San Francisco is expected in the coming weeks to issue a ruling on whether Trump violated the law by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June without California Governor Gavin Newsom's approval. The National Guard serves as a militia that answers to the governors of the 50 states except when called into federal service. The D.C. National Guard, however, reports directly to the president.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
The Mayor of New Orleans had a years-long romance with her bodyguard. She's been indicted for spending city money on hotels and wine tastings with him
The mayor of New Orleans had been treating her bodyguard to trips on the taxpayers' dime during their years-long affair, a new federal grand jury indictment alleges. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted on Friday resulting from a corruption investigation. Cantrell's lawyer confirmed to The Associated Press that an indictment was returned, and her name was read aloud by a federal magistrate judge as a defendant. She has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements and false declaration before a grand jury, according to the indictment. The city of New Orleans told NBC News it will have no comment on the indictment until the mayor's legal team has time to review the indictments. "The Mayor's attorney, Eddie Castaing, recently received the information, and is thoroughly reviewing the document," the statement said. "Until his review is complete, the City will not comment further on this matter." The indictment is the culmination of a long-running federal investigation into Cantrell, the first female mayor in the City's 300-year history. Prosecutors allege that Cantrell was having a romantic relationship with New Orleans Police Officer Jeffrey Paul Vappie II, who is on the department's executive protection unit. That relationship allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2024. Cantrell was married during the period of the alleged affair to attorney Jason Cantrell. He died in August 2023. 'To hide their relations from detection and to maximize their time together, Cantrell and Vappie exploited their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud the city of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department by engaging in personal activities while Vappie claimed to be on duty and was paid for,' the indictment says. They further claimed that the pair had exchanged some 15,000 messages, photos, and audio clips on WhatsApp over an eight month period. The investigators also allege that Cantrell and Vappie were using the app to intimidate their subordinates and hide evidence. Vappie and Cantrell traveled together on 14 trips in eight months, several of which were romantic vacations under the pretense of work trips, according to prosecutors. In total, the city spent $70,000 to sent Vappie along with the mayor on her trips — which in some cases included visits to wine tastings — the prosecutors claimed. Vappie was initially charged with wire fraud and making false statements. He has pleaded not guilty. Cantrell was added to the case after an investigation into Vappie's actions. If the pair are convicted, both could go to prison, though for how long varies based on the indictment. Some indictments carry a five year penalty, and others could put them away for up to 20. The term-limited Democratic mayor will leave office in January.
