R. Kelly hospitalized after overdosing on meds given by prison staff, lawyer says

Muri Assunção, New York Daily News on Jun 17, 2025

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Disgraced R&B artist R. Kelly was rushed to a hospital last week after overdosing on medications allegedly given to him by prison staff, his legal team claimed in a new court filing.

The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer, currently serving a 30-year sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking, claims he overdosed after taking medication he received while being held in isolation.

According to a June 17 court filing reviewed by USA Today, the 58-year-old was placed in solitary confinement “against his will” on June 10 after his lawyers filed an emergency motion requesting that he be moved from federal prison to house arrest claiming three Bureau of Prisons officials were allegedly plotting to have him killed.

Later that day, prison staff instructed him to take additional medication alongside the anti-anxiety drugs he regularly uses, according to the filing. Three days later, he woke up feeling “faint” and “dizzy.”

“He started to see black spots in his vision. Mr. Kelly tried to get up, but fell to the ground,” the lawyers wrote. “He crawled to the door of the cell and lost consciousness.”

The three-time Grammy winner, real name Robert Sylvester Kelly, was taken to Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C. He was later forcibly discharged two days later against medical advice, since he was scheduled to undergo surgery to treat an ongoing blood clot issue, according to the filing.

Even though he was expected to stay at the hospital for two weeks for the procedure, “officers with guns came into his hospital room” to take Kelly back to solitary confinement, the complaint alleges.

His lawyers said they weren’t able to speak with their client until late Monday, after a scheduled call was canceled “without explanation.”

Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2022 after being convicted in New York of orchestrating the sexual abuse of young female fans over decades. Earlier this year, a federal appeals court in New York rejected his bid to overturn the conviction.

He was also convicted on child pornography charges in his hometown of Chicago and sentenced to 20 years, most of which will be served concurrently.

Last week, Kelly’s defense team said they were “in open discussions with people close to President Trump” regarding a potential presidential pardon.

“We believe that President Trump is the only person with the courage to help us,” attorney Beau Brindley told People.

Kelly, who maintains his innocence, is serving his sentence at a medium-security prison in Butner, N.C. He’ll be eligible for release in 2045, at age 78.

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