Entertainment
R Kelly sues prison for placing him on suicide watch for ‘punitive reasons’, alleges lawyer-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro
The singer denies being suicidal.
Singer R Kelly, who has been sentenced to 30 years, is suing his prison (Picture: Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP)
R Kelly is suing the Metropolitan Center Brooklyn for placing him on suicide watch due to being a ‘high-profile inmate’ and for ‘purely punitive reasons’, says his lawyer.
The I Believe I Can Fly singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison last week after being convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
He faced life behind bars for masterminding an elaborate scheme to entice and sexually exploit young aspiring singers and underage children.
The producer was previously found guilty on all nine counts against him, including multiple counts of racketeering, with the charges relating to bribery and forced labour, by a jury in September last year.
Kelly – who denied all charges – was also found in violation of an anti-sex trafficking law known as the Mann Act.
The disgraced performer and producer is now suing MDC Brooklyn – the detention centre where he is being held – for placing him on suicide watch as a form of ‘cruel and unusual punishment’, as he denies being suicidal, according to court documents obtained by People magazine.
A courtroom sketch of the disgraced star listening to a victim statement last week (Picture: Reuters)
In a statement to the publication, Kelly’s lawyer Jennifer Bonjean said: ‘MDC has a policy of placing high profile individuals under the harsh conditions of suicide watch whether they are suicidal or not (this was done recently with Ghislaine Maxwell).’
Claiming that the prison ‘is being run like a gulag’, Bonjean added: ‘My partner and I spoke with Mr. Kelly following his sentencing, he expressed that he was mentally fine and ONLY expressed concern that even though he was NOT suicidal, MDC would place him on suicide watch (as they did following the guilty verdict).’
In the court documents, Bonjean argues that the strict restrictions of those on suicide watch ‘can and does cause serious mental harm’ to a non-suicidal inmate.
‘Inmates are stripped of their clothing and underwear and dressed in a smock made of material that is akin to the material that moving companies use when wrapping furniture,’ the complaint alleges. ‘They cannot shower or shave, and are sometimes not even afforded toilet paper. Meals are not provided with utensils, forcing inmates to eat with their hands.’
Kelly’s legal team claim the singer has not felt suicidal but is being made to live under stricter suicide watch conditions (Picture: Getty)
The document also claims that there is ‘no ability to consult with loved ones or supportive figures’ and that inmates are ‘typically placed in a single cell without bed rails and offered no items of comfort’.
It also alleges that those on suicide watch ‘don’t even receive psychiatric care’.
A representative for the Bureau of Prisons, which oversees MDC Brooklyn, told People magazine that they could not comment directly on Kelly’s imprisonment.
‘For safety and security reasons the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) does not provide information about conditions of confinement or internal security practices for any particular inmate.
‘The BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all inmates in our population, our staff, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP does not comment on pending litigation or matters that are the subject of legal proceedings,’ their statement read.
The Grammy winner still faces further charges and trials in separate US states (Picture: Reuters)
The singer – whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly – is currently awaiting a further trial in Chicago where he is accused of another 13 sex crimes, including producing child pornography as well as conspiring to intimidate victims and conceal evidence, but has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The trial had originally been due to take place in April 2020 but has been pushed back to August 2022 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as well as the New York trial.
He is also awaiting trial in Wisconsin and Minnesota on further charges.
More: Trending
Kelly initially found fame after he performed on the talent TV show Big Break as part of the group MGM in 1989, but left in 1993 to launch his solo career.
His first number one hit Bump N’ Grind followed shortly after before 1998’s I Believe I Can Fly netted him several Grammy Award nominations.
In total he has produced six studio albums and worked with a host of famous faces in the music industry including Jay-Z, Usher, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, and Jennifer Hudson.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Helen Skelton avoids discussing split from ex-husband after Lorraine Kelly brings up ‘rough time’
Entertainment – MetroRead More
