A federal court in Chicago has denied an emergency request filed by R&B singer R. Kelly for release from prison to home detention. The motion, brought by Kelly’s legal team, cited alleged threats to his life and claims of mistreatment by prison staff.
Kelly’s attorneys accused officials at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, of conspiring with a former cellmate to leak confidential legal correspondence to prosecutors. They further alleged that prison staff attempted to recruit a known gang member to kill Kelly, administered a near-fatal overdose, and forcibly discharged him from a hospital against medical advice.
In their plea, the defense requested intervention from former U.S. President Donald Trump. However, U.S. District Judge Martha Pacold dismissed the motion on Thursday, stating that the court lacked jurisdiction since Kelly is no longer held within the district.
“Kelly is currently housed at FCI Butner, which is located in Butner, North Carolina — outside this judicial district,” Judge Pacold wrote. “Kelly has not demonstrated a legal basis for this court’s jurisdiction. Accordingly, his emergency motion is denied.”
Federal prosecutors rejected the claims as unfounded and manipulative, accusing Kelly of attempting to deflect from his criminal convictions.
Kelly, 58, is serving a 30-year sentence following a 2021 conviction in New York on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. He was also convicted in 2022 on child pornography charges in Chicago. Most of his sentences are concurrent, with a projected release date of December 21, 2045.
In a separate case, fellow American R&B artist Chris Brown pleaded not guilty on Friday to a charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm during a 2023 nightclub altercation in London.
Appearing at Southwark Crown Court in a dark suit and glasses, Brown responded, “Not guilty, ma’am,” to the charge. He had previously been released on £5 million ($6.7 million) bail following his arrest in Manchester. Prosecutors allege that the victim was assaulted with a bottle and later punched and kicked during the incident.
