According to US authorities, sex offender R Kelly has been placed under suicide control due to the “emotional stress” of his current situation as he begins a 30-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
The disgraced R&B star he criticized the decision, accusing federal authorities of punishing him for his “high profile” status.
Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, will spend three decades in prison after using his fame to sexually abuse young fans.
The 55-year-old was found guilty of racketeering and trafficking following a high-profile trial in New York in September 2021, which took place after years of accusations throughout his career.
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, filed a lawsuit Friday alleging that prison officials placed him under suicide control at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center “solely for punitive purposes and because of his high-profile inmate status.”
He said the former star had no thought of harming himself and that “nothing happened during the sentence that came as a surprise to Mr. Kelly.”
Kelly’s lawsuit also claimed that: “Although conditions of suicide surveillance may be appropriate for people who are truly at risk of harming themselves, they are cruel and unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment for people who do not commit suicide.” .
In response, the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn filed court documents late Saturday confirming Kelly remains under suicide control, but disputing her claim that it is a punishment and stating that the decision has been made. ” for his own safety “following a psychological evaluation.
Court documents claim Kelly did not explain how being on a suicide watch list would somehow cause him “irreparable mental harm” apart from his general incarceration.
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R Kelly victims speak out after his sentencing
US Legal Assistant Melanie Speight wrote: [Kelly’s] “Current life circumstances undoubtedly bring emotional distress … he is a sex offender who has been sentenced to spend the next three decades in prison.”
Kelly is also facing another federal criminal trial in Chicago on child pornography charges.
Kelly did not issue a statement and showed no reaction after hearing his ruling last month, which also included a $ 100,000 (£ 82,500) fine.
Read more:
Everyone knew about the allegations against R Kelly, so why did it take 30 years to get justice?
R Kelly: A timeline of sexual abuse allegations in which the singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison
A courtroom sketch by R Kelly, who showed no reaction after hearing his ruling in June
The Grammy-winning, multi-platinum songwriter has denied any wrongdoing and says he plans to appeal his conviction.
The United States Bureau of Prisons has been subjected to a thorough scrutiny since being a financier Jeffrey Epstein killed himself behind bars in 2019 pending trial on charges of sexually abusing girls as young as 14 and young women in New York and Florida in the early 2000s.
In June, Epstein’s friend Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her part in recruiting girls for her ex boyfriend.
