R. Kelly, serving a 30‑year federal sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering, suffered a near‑fatal overdose on June 13 while in solitary confinement at FCI Butner, North Carolina. His attorney, Beau Brindley, filed an emergency motion claiming that prison officials administered a dangerously high dosage of anxiety and sleep medications—effectively poisoning the singer and endangering his life.
Shortly after collapsing in his cell, the R&B singer was rushed to Duke University Hospital, where doctors identified life‑threatening blood clots in his lungs and legs that required surgical intervention. Brindley alleges prison staff then forcibly removed Kelly from the hospital before scheduling the necessary surgery, placing him back in solitary confinement and denying further treatment.
Kelly’s legal team warns his life “is in jeopardy” and accuses the Bureau of Prisons of orchestrating both the overdose and a broader conspiracy involving prison staff. Inmate Mikeal Glenn Stine, who claims prison officials solicited him to kill Kelly in exchange for leniency and facilitated his placement in Kelly’s facility, filed a sworn declaration supporting the allegations.
Federal prosecutors dismissed the claims, calling them a “fanciful conspiracy” and describing Kelly as manipulative and unwilling to take responsibility for his crimes. They assert that solitary confinement was intended for Kelly’s protection—not punishment.
In light of the alleged life-threatening mistreatment, Brindley submitted a plea not only for temporary release under compassionate grounds but also for a presidential pardon from President Trump. He claims only Trump has the courage to address what he calls systemic corruption and ensure Kelly’s safety. Kelly once resided in Trump Tower, and Brindley says discussions have already taken place with Trump-affiliated contacts.
