Washington [US], June 18 : R&B singer R Kelly, convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking in 2021, has found himself at the centre of a dramatic new legal dispute after he was rushed to a hospital following an apparent drug overdose.
The 58-year-old singer, who is currently serving time at the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner, North Carolina, is now back in solitary confinement after being treated for what his attorney claims was a lethal overdose administered by prison officials, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
According to a court filing by Kelly's lawyer, Beau Brindley, the singer was hospitalised at Duke University Hospital in Durham on June 13 after suffering serious health complications, including black spots in his vision and a loss of consciousness.
The court documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter suggest that prison staff had administered an overdose quantity of medication on June 12, which ultimately led to Kelly's collapse.
Brindley described the incident as life-threatening and said that Kelly "needs this court's intervention. His life actually depends on it," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
The singer, who was initially treated for blood clots, was expected to remain in the hospital for a two-week recovery period.
However, according to Brindley, just hours after medical officials at the hospital informed prison officials that Kelly would need further treatment, armed officers from FCI Butner arrived and forcibly removed him from the hospital.
In a shocking turn, Brindley alleged that the overdose was not an accident but part of a broader scheme. Kelly's legal team previously filed an emergency motion claiming that three Bureau of Prisons officials were involved in a murder-for-hire plot aimed at the singer.
This plot allegedly sought to have Kelly killed by another inmate, with the promise of freedom in exchange for the assassination.
Mikeal Glenn Stine, a man named in the motion, allegedly told Kelly that his life was in grave danger.
In the legal documents filed last week, Kelly's attorneys claimed that federal officers were allegedly soliciting the murder of the singer because he intended to expose corruption surrounding his federal prosecutions.
The motion requested that Kelly be moved to home detention for his safety, though this request has been denied by the courts.
"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," Brindley asserted in his statement, as quoted by the Hollywood Reporter.
The Bureau of Prisons has yet to comment on the serious allegations, citing "pending litigation."
If true, the claims would represent an extremely grave breach of trust and could have far-reaching consequences for those involved.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Brindley for additional comment on the legal filings but has yet to receive a response as of Tuesday.
Kelly's situation continues to evolve, and his legal team is pressing for urgent court intervention to ensure his safety.
While the prison system remains tight-lipped, the allegations surrounding his alleged overdose and the purported murder plot have drawn significant public attention.
R Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is currently serving a 30-year prison sentence for his conviction on multiple charges related to racketeering, sex trafficking, and abuse.
His legal troubles have been widely publicised, and his case has become emblematic of the #MeToo movement's efforts to hold powerful figures accountable for their actions.