Chicago, IL — June 18, 2025 -:Disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly has been hospitalized following a reported medical emergency in prison, as his legal team levels explosive accusations against federal prison officials, alleging a conspiracy to murder him and suppress damaging information. The government, however, has dismissed the claims as “a fanciful conspiracy” and is resisting calls for his temporary release.
According to new court filings submitted this week, the 58-year-old singer — who is currently incarcerated at the Butner Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina — collapsed behind bars and was rushed to a hospital where he was treated for what his lawyers say were blood clots in his lungs. Attorneys further allege he was intentionally overdosed and later returned to solitary confinement, despite requiring surgery.
“These people did overdose him,” attorney Beau B. Brindley wrote in a court filing on Tuesday. “They did leave him with blood clots in his lungs and remove him from a hospital that sought to do surgery to remove them. And they did it within days of his exposure of a plan to kill him set forth by Bureau of Prisons officials.”
Alleged Assassination Plot
Kelly’s legal team claims that high-ranking prison officials at the Butner facility orchestrated a plot to kill him by enlisting leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist prison gang. The motive, they argue, was to prevent Kelly from leaking sensitive information allegedly implicating staff in misconduct and criminal activity.
As part of their evidence, Kelly’s attorneys submitted a sworn declaration from a purported leader of the Aryan Brotherhood, claiming prison officials solicited him to arrange an assassination. The shocking allegations prompted Kelly’s placement in solitary confinement, a move his team claims was meant to silence him rather than protect him.
“They are trying to kill this man under the radar,” said a source close to the legal team. “He exposed their misconduct, and now they’re retaliating in the most dangerous way imaginable.”
Government Response: “Repugnant and Baseless”
Federal prosecutors, however, are flatly rejecting the claims, calling them “repugnant” and accusing Kelly of manipulating the court with baseless allegations.
“Kelly has never taken responsibility for his years of sexually abusing children, and he probably never will,” government attorneys wrote. “Undeterred, Kelly now asks this Court to release him from incarceration indefinitely under the guise of a fanciful conspiracy.”
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons declined to comment, citing policies against discussing inmates’ conditions or ongoing litigation.
The government has also raised procedural concerns, questioning whether the federal court in Chicago has jurisdiction over a case that spans convictions in both Illinois and New York.
Ongoing Legal Battle
R. Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is currently serving a 30-year sentence handed down by a New York court for racketeering and sex trafficking, as well as a 20-year sentence from a Chicago court for producing child sexual abuse images and enticing minors for sex. The two sentences are being served concurrently.
Despite multiple attempts to overturn his convictions, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, Kelly has remained behind bars. His legal team is now seeking a temporary release into home confinement, citing his deteriorating health and the alleged threats to his life.
Kelly is scheduled for a court hearing in Chicago this Friday, where a judge will consider the new claims and the motion for release.
Appeal for Presidential Help
Amid the turmoil, Kelly has reportedly appealed to former U.S. President Donald Trump for intervention, though no official response has been issued. Kelly’s supporters, including a shrinking but vocal fanbase, have echoed calls for a deeper investigation into the prison’s handling of his medical emergency and solitary confinement.
“There are serious questions that need to be answered,” said a supporter outside Chicago’s federal courthouse. “If these allegations are even partially true, this is a human rights crisis happening in a federal prison.”
From Music Icon to Federal Inmate
Kelly rose to stardom in the 1990s with hit songs like “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Bump n’ Grind.” His music career flourished even as disturbing allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct swirled for decades. In 2008, he was acquitted in a Chicago trial on charges of child pornography, but public outrage peaked years later during the #MeToo movement.
The 2019 documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” reignited widespread condemnation, portraying the singer as a serial predator who used his fame and wealth to exploit underage girls. It led to his eventual arrest, conviction, and imprisonment, marking a fall from grace rarely seen in the entertainment world.
Kelly’s criminal record now defines him more than his Grammy-winning career. Yet even from behind bars, he remains a controversial and divisive figure — one whom some still defend, while many others see as the embodiment of unchecked celebrity abuse.
What’s Next?
As the legal drama unfolds, attention will turn to Friday’s court hearing, where Judge Harry Leinenweber is expected to weigh the merits of Kelly’s medical crisis and conspiracy claims.
Legal analysts say Kelly’s path to temporary release faces high hurdles. “Courts require substantial evidence to justify emergency release, especially in high-profile cases involving serious crimes,” said legal commentator Dana Hughes. “Unless the judge is convinced these threats are credible and ongoing, the government’s rebuttal may hold more weight.”
The court’s decision could set a precedent for how inmate safety and prison accountability are treated in federal facilities — particularly for inmates with a history as controversial and inflammatory as R. Kelly’s.
For now, Kelly remains isolated in solitary confinement at Butner, awaiting the next chapter in a saga that continues to blend criminal justice, celebrity downfall, and constitutional rights in equal measure.
