American R&B singer R. Kelly was recently rushed to the hospital from prison following what his attorney described as a near-fatal overdose, prompting his legal team to file an emergency motion for temporary release.
The 58-year-old, currently serving a 30-year sentence at a North Carolina federal prison for sex trafficking and racketeering, collapsed in his solitary confinement cell on June 13—just three days after being placed in isolation.
According to Kelly’s lawyer, Beau Brindley, the singer had been administered a dangerously high dose of medication on June 12. The following day, he lost consciousness and was transported to Duke University Hospital, where doctors reportedly warned the drug could have killed him.
“This was no mistake,” Brindley said. “It was a dose that jeopardized his life and nearly ended it.”
Kelly remained hospitalized for two days, during which doctors allegedly discovered life-threatening blood clots in his lungs and legs and recommended immediate surgery. However, Brindley claims the medical procedure was never performed. Instead, armed prison officers allegedly removed Kelly from the hospital prematurely and returned him to prison, against medical advice.
“He was taken from the hospital against his will and against the directives of the doctors,” Brindley said. “He was denied the surgery he needs to clear blood clots in his lungs that threaten his life. This happened. Hospital records will confirm it. It is undeniable.”
The emergency motion argues that the prison cannot ensure Kelly’s safety and health. It is the third request his lawyers have filed for temporary release, but this latest appeal follows what they describe as an alarming deterioration of his condition.
The filing includes a sworn affidavit from another inmate, Mikeal Glenn Stine, who claims that some prison staff and white supremacist groups were plotting to kill Kelly to cover up alleged misconduct linked to his case. Following the affidavit’s release, Kelly was moved to solitary confinement for his own protection.
However, Brindley says the conditions are deplorable. Kelly is reportedly confined to an insect-infested cell, denied phone access, and prohibited from purchasing food from the prison commissary. He has allegedly refused to eat out of fear of being poisoned.
“This is not a theory,” Brindley emphasized. “The hospital records will confirm he was denied urgent care.”
Kelly’s legal team is now urging the court to grant a furlough, arguing that continued confinement under current conditions poses a grave risk to his life.
No decision has been announced yet regarding the emergency motion.
