Chicago

NY Judge Denies Lawyer's Request to Release R. Kelly From Jail

The motion cited previously undisclosed health issues including numbness in Kelly's hand, anxiety and an untreated hernia

What to Know

  • On Wednesday, a NY judge denied R. Kelly's motion, in which his lawyer asked the court to reconsider bail for the singer
  • The attorney for R. Kelly filed a motion Monday in the Eastern District of New York, asking for a judge to reconsider bail for the singer
  • Judge cited R. Kelly being a flight risk and his history with alleged obstruction as reasons for the denial

A judge denied R. Kelly's motion, filed Monday in the Eastern District of New York, in which his lawyer asked the court to reconsider bail for the singer who's awaiting trial for federal sex crime charges.

Chicago attorney Steve Greenberg filed the motion stating that Kelly should be immediately released as he has no previous convictions and presents no flight risk or danger to the community. He also said that the hardships of being jailed include being able to see just one of two previous live-in girlfriends at a time.

The attorney submitted the motion written to New York Judge Ann M. Donnelly, citing that Kelly possesses "almost no financial resources" and that Kelly doesn't have his passport.

The motion also cites previously undisclosed health issues including numbness in Kelly's hand, anxiety and an untreated hernia that Kelly allegedly suffers from claiming that Kelly is not "presently receiving adequate medical care."

Donnelly denied the application for release Wednesday citing risk of flight and history of alleged obstruction -- also saying that the proposed home detention would not be sufficient to deter obstruction or witness tampering. 

New York prosecutors charged Kelly in July alleging that Kelly has abused women and girls for two decades, dating from 1998 to 2018. The federal charges include one count of racketeering and four counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits sex trafficking across state lines. The are five victims in the New York indictment. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Kelly is currently detained in Chicago, where he faces similar charges. Even if the New York judge grants bond, Kelly must get the Chicago judge to agree to bond before he could be released.

Monday's motion complained that only one person unrelated to Kelly can visit him at a time over 90 days, so just one of the two young women who lived with him before he was jailed can visit during that period.

Judge Steven L. Tiscione previously denied Kelly's original request for bail in August.

Kelly was arrested in Chicago on July 12 on a 13-count federal indictment and has since remained in custody at the Metropolitan Correction Center. Kelly is also facing 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Cook County, Illinois.

A trial date has been set for May 18, 2020. The next status conference is scheduled for Dec. 9.

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