R. Kelly Reportedly Assaulted By Inmate In His Jail Cell
An inmate reportedly attacked R. Kelly at the Metropolitan Correctional Center where he is currently incarcerated, according to his lawyer.
On Thursday (Aug. 27), Steve Greenberg tweeted that the R&B singer was attacked the day before.
“Yesterday we were told that an inmate had attacked R. Kelly at the MCC in Chicago. We received conflicting reports as to the extent of his injuries. We have not been provided any information from the jail, nor has Mr. Kelly called,” he wrote. Greenberg said his defense team is “hopeful that he was not seriously injured.”
He followed that up with a second tweet lobbying for Kelly’s release from police custody as the singer awaits trial. His team has petitioned for him to be temporarily released from prison on at least three occasions, citing the coronavirus pandemic. A federal judge has denied their requests.
Greenberg tweeted, “The government cannot ensure his safety, and they cannot give him his day in court. We should not incarcerate people indefinitely because we cannot provide them with due process!"
Another one of his lawyers, Doug Anton, confirmed to Vulture that Kelly was in his cell sitting on his bed when another inmated came in and started to punch him.
“The assault was stopped almost immediately and Kelly didn’t sustain any injuries,” Anton said. “The other inmate claimed he assaulted Kelly because he’s been on lockdown at the institution a couple of times, and he was tired of being locked down. He apologized to Kelly.”
This altercation is the latest incident amid the singer’s case. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors brought charges against three of his associates. The three men — Richard Arline Jr., Donnell Russell and Michael Williams — were arrested for allegedly attempting to harass, intimidate, threaten, and bribe women who have come forward against Kelly.
The 53-year-old stands accused of several sex crime charges, including child pornography, racketeering, and sex trafficking, across New York, Minnesota and Chicago. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is expected to go to trial on September 29.
