R. Kelly, the disgraced R&B singer currently serving a 30-year federal sentence at FCI Butner in North Carolina, was reportedly rushed to Duke University Hospital on June 13 following what his legal team describes as a near-fatal overdose administered by prison staff.
According to court filings by his attorney, Kelly, who was placed in solitary confinement on June 10, was given additional doses of his anxiety and sleep medications on June 12, allegedly on direct instruction from confinement staff. The next morning, Kelly awoke feeling faint, dizzy, and experiencing blacked-out vision, prompting him to crawl to his cell door before losing consciousness.
While being transported, Kelly said he overheard an officer remark, “This is going to open a whole new can of worms.” He spent two days hospitalized, where doctors reportedly informed him that the dosage he received was potentially lethal and could have ended his life.
Kelly’s attorneys further allege that prison officials discontinued his essential blood-thinner medication and refused recommended surgery to remove blood clots in his legs and lungs, complications that, without proper treatment, could be fatal.
This alarming incident follows an earlier emergency court motion by Kelly’s legal team, which claimed three Bureau of Prisons officials conspired with white supremacist inmates to have him killed in exchange for early release. In response, federal prosecutors dismissed the claims as fanciful and deeply unserious, accusing Kelly of manipulating the courts and playing the victim.
Still fearing for his life, Kelly has filed for temporary release to home confinement for the third time, arguing that the combination of overt threats and medical neglect puts his life in immediate danger. His team even called on former President Trump to intervene, citing Kelly’s precarious health and alleged foul play.
In stark contrast, prosecutors maintain that Kelly is a convicted child predator who remains unapologetic, and they argue that his motion lacks merit and jurisdiction, designed more for public sympathy than legal precedent.
A key hearing is scheduled for June 20 where a judge will weigh the evidence and determine whether Kelly’s motion for home confinement or medical furlough should proceed.
