An inmate claims he was “forced” to assault Kelly “in hopes of getting spotlight attention and world news notice to shed light on the government corruption.”
R. Kelly is asking a judge to release him on bail after he was attacked last week by an inmate.
In a motion filed Friday (Sept. 4), Kelly’s attorney Michael I. Leonard says not only did the Bureau of Prisons not protect his client, but also that personnel at the facility actually encouraged the inmate to attack the singer.
As proof, Leonard presented to the judge a handwritten motion from inmate Jeremiah Farmer confessing to the attack. In the motion, titled “The Government Made Me Attack R-Kelly,” Farmer said after he told a mental health professional at the facility of his plan to attack Kelly, the person encouraged him to “go do it.” Farmer says he was “forced to assault hip-hop R&B singer Robert Kelly #09627-035 in hopes of getting spotlight attention and world news notice to shed light on the government corruption” regarding his own case.
After the attack last week, another of R. Kelly’s attorneys, Douglas C. Anton, told Billboard his client was “not doing well” and that he “has injuries.” Anton said correctional officers at the facility could have done more to protect Kelly’s safety.
Anton has been arguing for Kelly’s release to prepare for trial but has been repeatedly denied. Kelly previously requested to be released due to the COVID-19 outbreak and again after he learned he was pre-diabetic. Both requests were denied.
“It is cruel and unusual,” said Anton. “He is innocent until proven guilty. I have an innocent guy in jail that can’t get out of jail so we can get prepared for trial.”
Anton said the trial date has already been pushed back due to COVID-19 and there has been no new trial date set.
“Everything is put on hold,” he continued. “It’s a horrific situation. I’ve never seen an individual more strong in dealing with punch and after punch as the things that are said about him. He doesn’t have a way to respond. All we want is a fair trial. We don’t even know the names of the Jane Does. We don’t even have their statements…. We are not saying anything except we want justice.”
Kelly is facing charges in New York of racketeering, coercion of a minor, transportation of a minor and coercion to engage in illegal sexual activity. The charges related to six different victims. The indictment alleges that for over two decades that R. Kelly was the leader of a racketeering enterprise made up of managers, bodyguards, drivers, personal assistants and runners who recruited women and girls to engage in illegal sexual activity with the singer. The sexual activity was often filmed and photographed by Kelly, according to the court filing by the Department of Justice. He is also awaiting trial in Illinois regarding separate sexual abuse allegations and is currently being held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.