R. Kelly Stays Behind Bars After Judge Rejects Emergency Bid Over Alleged Muder Plot and Overdose

A federal judge has denied R. Kelly's emergency request for home confinement, keeping the disgraced R&B singer behind bars amid explosive allegations of an overdose and murder plot.

According to USA Today, US District Judge Martha Pacold ruled she lacked jurisdiction to act on the motion, which was filed earlier this week in the Chicago court where Kelly was originally convicted in 2022. The 58-year-old is serving a 30-year sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking at a federal prison in Butner, North Carolina.

Kelly's legal team argued his life was in immediate danger, alleging he had been given an "overdose quantity" of medication by prison staff and was later hospitalized. The filing also claimed a group of Bureau of Prisons officials plotted to have him killed by another inmate.

However, the judge's decision not only rejected the emergency bid but also canceled a scheduled hearing that had been set for Friday.

Prosecutors Call Claims 'Fanciful'

Federal prosecutors dismissed the allegations in a scathing response, calling them "fanciful" and "theatrical." They also criticized the legal motion for procedural errors, stating that it was filed in the wrong court, using the wrong type of case, and failed to follow basic legal protocol.

"The motion makes a mockery of the harm suffered by Kelly's victims," prosecutors wrote, adding that granting the request would open the door for "every convicted murderer, rapist, and terrorist" to seek similar relief.

Kelly's legal team said the overdose incident occurred after he was placed in solitary confinement, claiming the singer was then transferred to Duke University Hospital and removed "against medical advice," despite ongoing treatment for blood clots.

The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the case, citing ongoing litigation.

Defense Plans to Fight On

Attorney Beau Brindley, who represents Kelly, acknowledged the jurisdictional obstacle in the court's ruling but stated that his client's safety necessitated immediate legal action.

"We are not surprised by this ruling... However, we had no choice but to act immediately given explicit evidence of a threat to Robert Kelly's life," Brindley said.

He also announced plans to file a new motion to vacate Kelly's convictions in Chicago, citing what he called "newly discovered evidence," along with a request for immediate release on bond.

Brindley added that President Donald Trump may be Kelly's only hope: "The courts do not move as quickly as the efforts to kill this man."

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Prison