Butner, N.C.— R&B singer R. Kelly was hospitalized last week following what his attorneys describe as a near‑fatal overdose while incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) in Butner, North Carolina.
Overdose Triggered by Medical Mismanagement?
Court documents show that Kelly, 58, was placed into solitary confinement on June 10 and took his personal anxiety and sleep medications. His attorney, Beau B. Brindley, alleges that on June 12, prison staff handed Kelly an excessive dosage of additional medication, directing him to take it—a sequence captured on surveillance footage.
The following morning, Kelly reportedly experienced dizziness, visual disturbances, and collapsed in his cell. He was rushed to Duke University Hospital on June 13, unconscious and fearing for his life.
Blood Clots and Emergency Response
Medical assessment at Duke revealed blood clots in both of Kelly’s legs and lungs—a condition his lawyers say required immediate surgical intervention. According to WRAL, they further allege that prison personnel removed him from the hospital against doctors’ recommendations, denying him critical treatment, and promptly returned him to solitary confinement. Kelly was reportedly treated for two days before being discharged and returned to the prison.
Murder Plot Allegations and Legal Fallout
The overdose occurred days after Kelly’s legal team submitted an emergency motion claiming a conspiracy involving three Bureau of Prisons staff members and an inmate—allegedly from the Aryan Brotherhood—to have Kelly assassinated in exchange for leniency. This sworn declaration, made by inmate Mikeal Glenn Stine, claimed staff promised him early release if he carried out the killing—which Kelly’s team says triggered the overdose plot.
Institutional Denials and Prosecutor Response
The Bureau of Prisons has declined to comment, citing its privacy and security protocols. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have dismissed Kelly’s claims as “deeply unserious,” accusing him of engaging in manipulation and comparing his requests to a mockery of justice.
Legal Action: A Home Confinement Plea
Kelly’s attorneys are petitioning a federal judge to grant temporary home confinement for his safety, citing the overdose, the unresolved blood clots, and alleged threats inside the prison as evidence of “cruel and unusual punishment.” A court hearing is scheduled for June 20, where legal arguments around jurisdiction and relief options will be considered. Additionally, Kelly has sought a pardon from former President Donald Trump, asserting that only executive clemency can avert a lethal outcome.
Background: A 30‑Year Sentence
Kelly has been serving concurrent sentences since 2022—30 years for federal racketeering and sex trafficking, and 20 years for child pornography conviction.
