American R&B singer R. Kelly was admitted to a medical facility after suffering what his legal team described as a near-fatal overdose while in solitary confinement at a federal prison in North Carolina.
The 58-year-old, who is currently serving a 30-year sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering, reportedly collapsed in his cell just three days after being placed in isolation.
According to his attorney, Beau Brindley, Kelly had been administered an excessively high dose of medication, which triggered the medical emergency.
“He was given a dose that jeopardized his life and nearly ended it. This was no mistake,” Brindley said.
Following the collapse, Kelly was rushed to Duke University Hospital, where doctors discovered blood clots in both his legs and lungs.
Physicians reportedly recommended emergency surgery. However, Brindley alleges that before the procedure could be carried out, armed officers removed Kelly from the hospital against medical advice and returned him to prison.
“He was denied the surgery he needs to clear blood clots in his lungs that threaten his life,” Brindley claimed. “This happened. Hospital records will confirm it.”
In response, Kelly’s legal team has filed an emergency motion requesting a temporary release, citing immediate threats to his life and deteriorating prison conditions. This marks their third such request, though attorneys now insist the situation is a matter of survival.
The motion also includes a sworn affidavit from fellow inmate Mikeal Glenn Stine, who alleges that certain prison staff and white supremacist groups were plotting to kill Kelly.
Following this claim, prison officials placed the singer in solitary confinement, where, according to his lawyer, he now sleeps in a filthy, insect-infested cell, has no access to phone calls or commissary items, and has stopped eating out of fear of being poisoned.
Kelly remained hospitalized for two days before being forcibly returned to custody. His legal team maintains that the overdose may have been a targeted act, not an accident, and is urging the court to intervene.
“If nothing is done, his life is at serious risk,” Brindley warned, calling for an urgent medical furlough to ensure that Kelly receives the treatment he needs.
