R. Kelly, the infamous R&B singer also known as Robert Sylvester Kelly, was recently hospitalized following an alleged overdose while serving his sentence in a North Carolina prison. The recent incident has sparked outrage over how his health and safety were managed while in the facility. Kelly is now serving a 30-year sentence—but not just for giving out the drug. On serious alternate act — racketeering and illegal use of the Mann Act — R.
In 2023, a federal judge in Chicago imposed 20 additional years of incarceration on Kelly. He’ll serve this new sentence at the same time as his current one in North Carolina. This latest sentencing added an additional year to his extensive prison term. His prior offenses include child porn and luring minors for sex. His 2021 convictions served as an opportunity to expose his systematic sexual exploitation of minor girls.
Kelly’s attorney, Beau P. Brindley, filed a court document claiming that mismanagement by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons contributed to Kelly’s recent health crisis. The filing alleges that prison officials denied him the critical medical attention that he did not receive. This excluded the surgery he had to undergo after the overdose event.
According to news accounts, Kelly was later moved to a hospital. He is suing because he says officials at the North Carolina prison intentionally poisoned him to death with the overdose. It’s not clear what led to the OD. This lack of transparency begs further questions about the treatment of incarcerated people inside the Bureau of Prisons.
As the Bureau of Prisons continues to deny any discussion of the conditions of confinement to the incarcerated population. They do so claiming privacy and safety concerns as the justification for their opposition. They likewise don’t touch on the facts of any pending litigation or other legal issues involving individual inmates.
“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.” – Bureau of Prisons
Though sentenced to 30 years for federal crimes in New York, R. Kelly will serve those 19 years concurrently, in effect meaning he’ll serve no additional time. After that he has another year to do for the Chicago case. His multiple convictions form a maze of legal obstacles that is constantly shifting. Every day new details of his troubling treatment and continued imprisonment come to light.
