R. Kelly Claims Overdose Was Prison Plot, Seeks Release
Written by djfrosty on June 17, 2025
R. Kelly’s legal team has filed an emergency request to get him out of prison because of serious health problems.
According to TMZ, the 58-year-old singer fainted after prison staff reportedly gave him too much medication while he was in isolation. He was rushed to a hospital at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, for treatment. This wasn’t the first sign that something was wrong. It has been reported that Kelly had been asking for medical help for a swollen leg for months, but says he was ignored.
When doctors at the hospital examined him, they allegedly found blood clots in both his legs and lungs, which can be very dangerous if not treated.
Kelly’s lawyers say the prison failed to give him proper medical care and that his health is getting worse. They believe he needs to be released so he can get the medical treatment he urgently needs. His legal team says staying in prison could put his life at serious risk. On top of the health concerns, Kelly’s lawyers recently claimed that federal officials are purposely trying to hurt his case and are working against him. They say he isn’t being treated fairly.
Right now, the court hasn’t made a decision on whether to let him out. But his lawyers are pushing hard, arguing that his current condition is too serious to ignore. They want him to get care outside of prison before it’s too late.
R. Kelly has been in prison since 2019 after being found guilty of several serious crimes.
In 2021, a New York court gave him 30 years for things like sex trafficking and using his fame to control and abuse young women. In 2023, a court in Chicago added another 20 years for child pornography and trying to get minors involved. Most of that new sentence runs at the same time as the first, but one extra year was added on.
As of June 2025, he’s serving a total of 31 years in a federal prison in Butner, North Carolina.