R&B singer R. Kelly was rushed to a North Carolina hospital over the weekend after what his legal team is calling a near-fatal overdose inside a federal prison.
According to court filings, Kelly allegedly collapsed in his cell after taking prescription pills reportedly provided by prison officials while he was being held in solitary confinement. His legal team claims the dosage he received was well beyond safe levels, leading to a medical emergency that could have cost him his life.
“Bureau of Prisons personnel administered medication in amounts that endangered Mr. Kelly’s health,” said attorney Beau Brindley in a statement. “This resulted in an overdose and created a situation where immediate medical care was the only option.”
The supplement to Kelly’s emergency motion for temporary release adds that doctors also discovered serious blood clotsin both his lungs and legs—yet prison officials allegedly refused surgery, citing concerns over a required one-week recovery period.
“This isn’t just negligence. This is a blatant disregard for human life,” Brindley added. “Mr. Kelly could die, and they know it.”
Kelly, who takes medication for anxiety and sleep disorders, had reportedly shown staff his prescriptions upon being placed in solitary on June 10. His legal team believes the move to solitary confinement was retaliation for the emergency motion filed days earlier, which accused the Bureau of Prisons of actively endangering his life.
On June 13, Kelly allegedly lost consciousness after crawling to the cell door in an attempt to get help, his lawyer says. The artist has reportedly remained in solitary confinement since.
The court documents are now part of a renewed plea for a temporary furlough and house arrest, citing both medical urgency and ongoing threats to Kelly’s safety behind bars.
As of now, no official statement has been released by the Bureau of Prisons regarding the incident.
