R. Kelly Nearly Dies in Prison, Blames Government
Mug shot of R. Kelly, 2003. Photo courtesy of the Miami Police Department. Public domain.
R. Kelly says someone wants him dead — and he's pointing the finger at the very people in charge of keeping him alive.
A Mysterious Collapse Behind Bars
On June 13, R. Kelly was rushed from a North Carolina federal prison to Duke University Hospital after allegedly overdosing on medication.
The Grammy-winning singer, now 58, reportedly collapsed in his cell after taking prescribed medication under staff supervision. His legal team claims he was given a dosage that far exceeded safety limits and that it nearly killed him.
Court filings allege that prison staff instructed Kelly to take the extra medication while he was in solitary confinement and that surveillance footage supports this claim. Kelly was placed in solitary on June 10 with his medications, and staff allegedly directed him to take more pills on June 12. The next day, Kelly began seeing black spots, felt faint, and collapsed.
He was initially taken to an on-site facility, but when it failed to stabilize him, he was transferred to the hospital. There, doctors informed him he had been given a potentially lethal dose of medication.
Murder Plot or Manipulation?
Kelly's attorney, Beau Brindley, says this was no accident. The incident occurred just days after Kelly filed an emergency motion alleging that officials with the Bureau of Prisons were plotting his murder.
In that motion, Brindley included a statement from inmate Mikeal Glenn Stine, who claimed three officials offered him a deal to kill Kelly in exchange for a chance to escape custody and live out his final days as a "free man," according to PEOPLE.
Stine said he was transferred from Arizona to North Carolina, placed in the same unit as Kelly, and offered the plot by prison staff but ultimately warned Kelly instead.
Brindley alleges Kelly was immediately punished for exposing the scheme by being thrown into solitary confinement and having communication and commissary access stripped.
Kelly, who is reportedly afraid to eat prison food for fear of poisoning, has since reiterated concerns for his safety, especially after the alleged overdose.
Seeking a Presidential Lifeline
In the wake of the overdose, Brindley filed another motion seeking emergency home confinement and called on President Donald Trump to issue a pardon or commute Kelly's sentence.
The legal team believes Trump is the only one who can help. Brindley also told Page Six, "It truly seems that only President Trump has the power to save a life and strike a blow against the same kind of corruption that was used to try to destroy him."
Although Trump has not responded to the request, he recently told reporters he'd consider pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs — another high-profile figure facing sex trafficking charges — if he believed the justice system treated him unfairly.
Kelly's Criminal Past
Kelly is serving a 30-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, for racketeering, sex trafficking, and other federal crimes involving minors.
In 2021, he was convicted on nine counts, including violations of the Mann Act. A year later, a Chicago jury added 20 more years for producing child pornography and enticing a minor, most of which he is serving concurrently.
Prosecutors dismissed his latest claims as part of a manipulative pattern, stating, "This is the behavior of an abuser and a master manipulator on display," as reported by TMZ.
A Dangerous Game of Accusations
Whether this was a near-deadly bureaucratic blunder or part of something more sinister is still under investigation. The Bureau of Prisons has declined to comment, citing safety and privacy protocols.
For now, R. Kelly remains incarcerated, battling not just the justice system — but what he says is a fight for his life.
References: R. Kelly rushed to hospital for near-fatal overdose as lawyers allege it was wild murder plot | R. Kelly Seeking Presidential Pardon From Donald Trump, Put in Solitary Confinement After Death Threat Claims (Exclusive) | R. Kelly Hospitalized Over Alleged Prison Overdose & Seeks Trump's Pardon | Billboard News | Where Is R. Kelly Now? Inside the Disgraced Rapper's Life in Federal Prison | R. Kelly Overdoses, Rushed to Hospital in Alleged Plot to Kill Him
