R. Kelly's latest attempt to remove federal prosecutors from his case has failed after a judge ruled the singer's claims lacked credible evidence.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Martha Pacold denied Kelly's motion to disqualify the entire U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois. In her ruling, she described the request as both "extreme" and "drastic."
The judge explained her reasoning, saying, "To warrant such an extraordinary intrusion into the affairs of a coequal branch as the disqualification of an entire USAO, a defendant must make an equally extraordinary showing. Kelly's motion does not meet that standard."
Kelly's legal team, led by attorney Beau Brindley, filed the motion in June.
They argued the prosecutors could not fairly oversee his post-conviction proceedings, citing alleged misconduct, conflicts of interest, and even possible criminal behavior by a former prosecutor.
Kelly claimed that a prosecutor tied to his earlier proceedings had engaged in misconduct, which tainted the office's ability to handle his case.
However, Judge Pacold noted that the individual no longer worked for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The court also highlighted that Kelly himself admitted the current prosecutor had not committed any wrongdoing.
Brindley argued the office could not be trusted to investigate itself and urged that either the Department of Justice in Washington or another district take over.
The judge's order stressed that disqualifying an entire U.S. Attorney's Office is an extraordinary step, reserved only for cases with overwhelming proof of misconduct or bias.
Kelly is serving a 30-year term at FCI Butner in North Carolina after being convicted in 2022 on federal charges of child pornography and obstruction of justice. His conviction was upheld by the Seventh Circuit in 2024.
His attorneys are currently requesting a new trial on grounds of constitutional errors as well as government misconduct.
Among the claims are allegations that federal officials conspired to derail his defense by stealing legal mail, coercing testimony, and even plotting to have him killed.
The government has until Oct. 16, 2025, to respond to Kelly's motion for a new trial.
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