R.Kelly's legal team is calling for the R&B singer's release from prison after he was attacked in his Illinois cell by a fellow inmate. Lawyer Steve Greenberg, who is representing Kelly in his upcoming sexual abuse trial, announced the news Thursday on Twitter.
"We received conflicting reports as to the extent of his injuries. We have not been provided any information from the jail, nor has Mr. Kelly called. We are hopeful that he was not seriously injured," he wrote, adding that it was time to release Kelly from Chicago's Metropolitan Correctional Center.
"The government cannot ensure his safety, and they cannot give him his day in court," Greenberg continued. "We should not incarcerate people indefinitely because we cannot provide them with due process!"
Kelly's second attorney, Doug Anton, told CNN that the altercation took place on Tuesday, when an inmate entered the singer's cell and began to repeatedly punch him. Guards were able to intervene before Kelly sustained any serious injuries, he added.
Anton has not been able to communicate firsthand with Kelly, as strict restrictions have been implemented amid coronavirus lockdown regulations.
Tom Farinella, another attorney representing Kelly, is calling for his client's release from prison.
"This incident coupled with the coronavirus restrictions at the MCC reinforces the need for Mr. Kelly to be released so he can assist in his defense with counsel and prepare for trial without the fear that his personal safety is at risk," he said.
The Bureau of Prisons has not confirmed whether or not Kelly was involved in the attack.
"For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not comment on an individual inmate's conditions of confinement or medical status," a spokesperson said.
Earlier this month, Kelly pleaded not guilty to charges that he ran a criminal scheme in which he recruited women and underage girls to have sex with him, isolating them and often controlling what they ate and when they went to the bathroom.
Anton entered the plea to charges of racketeering and sex trafficking before Magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione in federal court in Brooklyn. The singer was arrested in Chicago last month on the Brooklyn charges and a separate set of charges brought by federal prosecutors in Chicago.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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