An inmate has allegedly attacked R. Kelly in prison, according to his attorney. His defense team is calling for the singer’s release from prison after the incident occurred.
Doug Anton, R. Kelly’s attorney, shared details with CNN about the attack. He said that the singer was in his cell on his bed Tuesday at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center when another inmate came in and started to punch him.
The guards at the correctional center stopped the altercation immediately, according to Anton. He said that X-rays showed that Kelly did not have any fractures and there were no serious injuries.
Conflicting Reports About the R. Kelly Prison Inmate Attack
Another attorney for Kelly, Steve Greenberg, posted on Twitter that his legal team has received “conflicting reports as to the extent of his injuries.” No information has come directly from Kelly himself, Greenberg says.
COVID-19 lockdowns in the prison have restricted communication between Kelly and his legal team. The restrictions have reduced the ability for Kelly’s defense team to visit the singer in-person. Therefore the defense team has not been able to talk to Kelly directly about the alleged attack.
Emery Nelson, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons, would not comment on Kelly or his possible involvement in the incident.
“For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not comment on an individual inmate’s conditions of confinement or medical status,” Nelson said.
The attack happened a week prior to Kelly’s defense team going back to court. Tom Farinella, one of Kelly’s lawyers, is scheduled to argue for the release of the musician. His federal trial begins in Brooklyn at the end of September.
“This incident coupled with the coronavirus restrictions at the MCC reinforces the need for Mr. Kelly to be released so he can assist in his defense with counsel and prepare for trial without the fear that his personal safety is at risk,” Farinella stated to CNN.
R. Kelly faces multiple charges filed in New York. They include offenses of racketeering and transgressions of the Mann Act, which prohibits sex trafficking across state lines. The US Northern District of Illinois has also accused Kelly of crimes. They include federal charges of child pornography and other crimes.
Kelly is awaiting trial, and has already pled not guilty to each of the alleged crimes.
[H/T CNN]
