Lawyers for R. Kelly have revealed in newly filed court documents that the singer and convicted sex trafficker was recently rushed to a hospital after experiencing a medical overdose while in prison. The 58-year-old reportedly collapsed last Friday at the federal correctional institution in Butner, North Carolina, a facility known for housing sex offenders. He was transported to Duke University Hospital for treatment.
According to the filing, Kelly had been placed in solitary confinement on June 10 and was given medication by prison staff, along with instructions to take it. In the early hours of June 13, he reportedly woke up feeling faint and dizzy, with black spots clouding his vision. As he attempted to get up, he collapsed and lost consciousness while trying to crawl to the door of his cell. He was later placed on a gurney and taken by ambulance to the hospital. During the ride, Kelly allegedly overheard a prison officer comment, “This is going to open a whole new can of worms.”
His lawyers claim he later learned he had been given an overdose amount of his medication, putting his life in danger and requiring a two-day hospitalization. The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the matter due to pending litigation, according to USA Today.
This filing follows an earlier emergency motion by Kelly’s legal team, which alleged that three Bureau of Prisons officials had conspired to have him killed by another inmate. His lawyers have requested that he be released to home detention as a protective measure. Federal prosecutors have strongly opposed the request, describing Kelly as a “prolific child molester” who remains unapologetic and has never taken responsibility for his abuse of minors. They argued that his motion is based on a baseless conspiracy theory and disrespects the trauma experienced by his victims.
Kelly’s lawyers have renewed their request for a temporary furlough to home detention in the latest filing. Kelly was convicted in 2021 on racketeering and sex-trafficking charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was later found guilty in 2022 on additional charges related to child sexual abuse imagery and child enticement, receiving a 20-year sentence to be served concurrently with his current term.
