New information has been revealed about R. Kelly's life since he was put behind bars. To say the least, the details are quite shocking.
R. Kelly Has Seen Better Days
The disgraced celebrity is not having the best time since he was put behind bars in a Chicago prison.
Reports indicate that R. Kelly is having a really bad time.
The Jailed Singer Getting Unfair Treatment
Over the time he has been behind bars, R. Kelly has been the target of unfair treatment from the facility. Other inmates have not been too kind towards him either.
In one of the worst experiences he has had so far, he was attacked viciously in his own cell.
Generally, R. Kelly has had to endure a lot of hardships while in prison.
How It All Began
This story began back in 1994 when R. Kelly was 27 years old. He had married Aaliyah Haughton in an illegal ceremony in Illinois' Cook County. Aaliyah was only 15 at the time.
Aaliyah was only 12 When They Met
At the time they met, Kelly was twice her age because he was 24.
In later reports, it was proved that Demetrius Smith, R. Kelly's tour manager, managed to get fake documents that indicated that the girl was 18, which would make the marriage take place.
The marriage ended in an annulment in 1995.
Over the rest of their careers, the pair did not speak of their marriage.
However, after Aaliyah died in a plane crash, he talked about her as being the "best, best, best, best friend." Also, he said that he would never speak of his marriage to her to respect the wishes of his ex-wife and her parents, who had categorically requested that he never speaks about it.
Kelly Ended Up In Another Mess
Just a year later, Kelly was in trouble again.
In 1996, a year after his marriage to Aaliyah was annulled, Tiffany Hawkins decided to sue him for "personal injuries and emotional distress." The two had been in a relationship for 3 years.
She was suing him for the injury and distress she had suffered over the three years they had spent together.
When they met, she was fifteen and Kelly was 24. That relationship came to an end when she was 18 years old.
The Charges Were Dropped After A $250,000 Settlement
Following a deal worth $250,000, that case was now behind him.
However, in 2001, Kelly was facing another lawsuit in which he was getting accused of forcing Tracy Simpson, who was his intern, into an "indecent relationship" when she was just seventeen years old.
Apparently, the former Epic Records intern felt like an object and was not given any regard unless when summoned by Kelly for their sexual encounters.
She revealed that Kelly "tried to control every aspect of my life including who I would see and where I would go."
Eventually, this case was also settled, but the amount was never disclosed.
A Year Later, Things Got Much Worse
You'd think R. Kelly had learned his lesson by now. However, things got a lot worse just a year later.
The popular singer was dealing with two more lawsuits. They all involved inappropriate sexual behavior, including videotaping and selling a tape he had made of a woman without her permission.
In The Same Year, He Faced Child Pornography Charges
After the lawsuit involving the woman he had videotaped, it did not take long before he was embroiled in another controversy. Clearly, things were getting out of hand, and it seemed like the singer was out of control.
Kelly was being charged with 21 counts of child pornography. Apparently, he was recording videos of minors involved in sexual acts and distributing them.
He denied the charges.
However, the case dragged on for 6 years, and in that time, he managed to release his album, Trapped In The Closet. The album was a global success, and it won the hearts of many music fans.
His Album's Success Would Have Swayed The Jury
Kelly had an incredibly successful album before the jury decided whether or not he was not guilty. That kind of popularity can easily sway the jury towards a favorable conviction for a defendant.
Apparently, according to the court document, there was no evidence that the girl in the tape was a minor. However, it was known that she was born in 1984 and that the video was taken in the '90s.
Clearly, that's a lot of bias on the jury's part.
Then Details Of His "Sex Cult" Came To The Light
People started to understand what Kelly was up to when information about his "sex cult" emerged.
However, this had been going on for years, and it was kept secret until the media found out about it. Kelly was found guilty after his daughters disappeared.
It started with the promise that he was going to help them with their careers as musicians. After that, he had full control of their lives and even decided what they could eat, how they could dress, bathe, when they would sleep, and even how they would handle their sexual encounters.
In 2019, Kelly Was Charged
In 2019, his fortunes would change greatly after he was charged with 2 counts of prostitution and solicitation involving a minor.
However, his appeal for bail was denied. The judge determined him to be a flight risk.
Just a few days afterward, he was facing prostitution charges filed by prosecutors in Minnesota. That meant the disgraced singer was now dealing with criminal charges in 3 different states.
His Lawyer's Pleas Weren't Working
Kelly's lawyer had been working hard to ensure that the system let him off.
However, there was no escaping the clutches of justice. Kelly ended up in jail.
Recently, reports indicate that prison is a lot harder for him than many would have expected.
He Turned 54 While Behind Bars
Kelly celebrated his birthday on January 8 while behind bars. That means he has turned 54 while in jail.
This was the second time he was turning a year older while behind bars.
When The Pandemic Began, He Requested To Be Freed Over Health Concerns
The pandemic offered Kelly an opportunity to request the court to set him free. According to his lawyers, he faced a health risk due to his age and existing health issues.
In particular, they cited the conditions at the MCC, which they argued necessitated his release on bail. The lawyers also claimed that the courts have for the longest time realized that it is crucial to keep a defendant alive regardless of the charges they face.
The Judge Ruled That He Remain In Prison
Even after Kelly made his appeal, Judge Ann M. Donnelly ruled in April 2020 that he would continue to rot in jail.
The judge argued that he was a flight risk and posed a danger to the community, particularly when it comes to the prospective witnesses.
In August 2019, His Lawyers Petitioned His Release From Solitary Confinement
According to the lawyers, Kelly had no meaningful interaction with other humans while in solitary confinement, making it unfair.
Apparently, he did not spend any time outside getting some sun. Kelly also complained that he was not allowed to buy snacks even though other inmates could.
The Prosecutors Refuted These Claims
The prosecutors, however, told a different story. According to them, Kelly had a cellmate for some time, although he had initially resisted the idea.
At the time, the prosecutors also said he had been with more than one cellmate.
In September of 2019, the prosecutors even spoke about the fact that he got access to indoor recreation thrice a week and had already had "7 social visits" by that point.
On the issue of snacks, they added that he bought items from the commissary, and these items included snacks like Snickers.
The prosecutors also added that the staff at MCC had done things to make sure he was safe, which involved treating him with dignity and respect.
In August 2020, He Was Back In Solitary Confinement
This time, he was put in solitary confinement for his own safety after another cellmate attacked him in his cell.
Sources later claimed that the inmate in question had attacked the disgraced music star over the protests that had been caused by his sentencing. The protests had resulted in the facility being put under lockdown, which is no picnic for the inmates.
His Lawyer Tried To Get Him Released Based On The Attack
Kelly's lawyer, Steve Greenberg, immediately sprang into action and tried to have Kelly released from jail based on the attack he had experienced while there.
Greenberg tweeted that they had not gotten any information from the facility and that Kelly had not yet called. He went on to add that it was time to let him go since the government could not ensure his safety or give "him his day in court."
He ended by saying that:
"We should not incarcerate people indefinitely because we cannot provide them with due process!"
The prison's response was to put R. Kelly in solitary confinement, which, according to his lawyer, was the only place where they could protect him.
He also spoke about the protests saying that there was always a lockdown whenever there was a pro-R.Kelly protest outside the facility. During the lockdowns, the inmates don't get their commissary, shower, and other things.
These restrictions upset them.
According to Greenberg:
"They're penalizing everyone in the facility because people are protesting in support of Kelly."
Something Else Was Said
The lawyer also mentioned that the other problem was that Kelly was only allowed to see one "lady friend" at a time.
According to his lawyer, "he lives and has lived with 2 lady friends." However, "only one of them is allowed to be on his visiting list."
After 90 days, he is allowed to switch them up.
He Has Many supporters
After his attack in his own cell, another lawyer came forward to speak in his support. The lawyer, Nicole Blank Becker, claimed that the attack had left him "petrified and paranoid."
Apparently, Kelly can no longer sleep and is afraid to leave his jail cell during the 2 hours he is allowed to step out of his cell.
Becker argued that his insomnia was serious, and he was even afraid to get a haircut. She also said that he was scared for his life, terrified, and gaining weight due to lack of exercise since COVID-19 began.
The Lawyer Also Shared More Details About The Attack
Becker also shared details about the story nobody knew about. Apparently, as he was lying down in his cell with a blanket covering his face, someone entered his unlocked cell and started to stomp and kick his face.
The attacker was wearing shoes and Kelly was using his ear pods when the inmate walked in and began attacking him.
According to Becker, the decision to put him in solitary confinement was "tremendously unfair."
She explained that he was stuck in jail and could not get tried due to the pandemic. He also lacks contact with the outside world and lives in a small cell for the sake of his safety, where he has to deal with headaches after the beating he received.
His Trial Was Rescheduled Due To The Pandemic
Initially, Kelly was supposed to face charges in Brooklyn federal court in July 2020. However, the case was scheduled for September by Judge Ann M. Donnelly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This meant his case was postponed once again.
However, although jury trials had begun, that did not mean that Kelly managed to stick to his court date. Prosecutors requested the court to postpone the hearing arguing that keeping everyone safe was a challenge.
According to their estimates, the trial would attract about thirty-four to thirty-six people into the courtroom in addition to the spectators. That meant the risks of having the trial were just too high.
The Judge Agreed
Unfortunately for Kelly and his defense team, the judge, Harry Leinenweber, agreed with the prosecutors and concluded that it was "virtually impossible to proceed to trial in October."
Kelly's lawyer was obviously not happy with this ruling, and he argued that his client should not have to "rot away in jail" so that government witnesses would be saved from the trouble of spending a short time in quarantine.
Kelly's Lawyers Have Asked For His Release 6 Times
Without a doubt, the singer's lawyers have tried all they can to get Kelly out of jail. However, each of the 6 requests they have made has been turned down.
In the most recent case, they requested the Appeals in September 2020. They argued that Kelly was unable to prepare for six months, and for that reason, they requested that he be released.
