US authorities said the disgraced R&B star R&B was removed from suicide surveillance in Brooklyn prison, where she is serving a 30-year sentence for sex trafficking.
The 55-year-old – whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly – was found guilty of racketeering and trafficking following a high-profile trial in New York in 2021.
Officials said he had been placed under suicide control because of the “emotional suffering” of his current situation.
In a court filing, prosecutors said it was removed from the watch following a clinical evaluation.
Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, confirmed the singer is no longer under suicide control, but said she intends to pursue a lawsuit.
He is suing the Metropolitan Detention Center, saying prison officials ordered the watch soon after his June 29 sentence “for punishment only” and because he was a “high profile” inmate.
He suggested in an email that the removal was a tactic to thwart his lawsuit, which seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons, which manages the Brooklyn prison, declined to comment.
Known for 1996 Grammy-winning hit I Believe I Can Fly, Kelly was sentenced last September.
Prosecutors said Kelly used her stardom and wealth over two decades to lure women and girls into her sex orbit, with the help of her entourage.
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R Kelly convicted: Why did it take 30 years to get justice?
Kelly has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual abuse.
He still faces trial in Chicago for child pornography and obstruction charges, and various state charges in Illinois and Minnesota.
