Washington [US], June 18: R&B singer R. Kelly, who is currently serving a 30-year sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking, is at the centre of a new legal controversy after being rushed to the hospital following a suspected drug overdose.
The 58-year-old artist was treated at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, on June 13 after experiencing severe health issues including black spots in his vision and loss of consciousness. According to court filings, Kelly’s attorney, Beau Brindley, alleges that the incident stemmed from an overdose of medication administered by prison staff at the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner.
Brindley described the event as life-threatening, asserting in legal documents that Kelly “needs this court’s intervention. His life actually depends on it.” Initially treated for blood clots, Kelly was expected to remain in the hospital for a two-week recovery. However, he was reportedly removed just hours later by armed prison officials and returned to solitary confinement.
In a dramatic escalation, Brindley claims the overdose was not accidental but part of a deliberate attempt on Kelly’s life. The legal team alleges a murder-for-hire plot involving three Bureau of Prisons officials who purportedly sought to have another inmate kill Kelly in exchange for their freedom.
A man named in the legal motion, Mikeal Glenn Stine, reportedly warned Kelly of the threat, prompting the legal team to file an emergency motion for home detention, which has since been denied.
Kelly’s attorneys argue that federal officers are targeting him due to his intent to expose corruption related to his prosecution. “Federal officers have solicited the murder of R. Kelly because he intends to expose the corruption underlying his federal prosecutions. We have filed our motion to make sure that they fail,” said Brindley.
The Bureau of Prisons has yet to issue a comment, citing ongoing litigation. The gravity of the allegations—if substantiated—could have serious legal and institutional consequences.
R. Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, remains one of the most controversial figures in modern music, with his conviction symbolising the accountability driven by the #MeToo movement. As the situation unfolds, his legal team continues to seek urgent court action to ensure his safety behind bars.