R. Kelly

R. Kelly on Suicide Watch for ‘Purely Punitive Reasons,' His Attorney Says

“MDC Brooklyn is being run like a gulag,” his lawyer Jennifer Bonjean said. BOP insists it's committed to "the safety and security of all inmates"

R. Kelly
Antonio Perez - Pool via Getty Images

R. Kelly has been placed on suicide watch for "purely punitive reasons," his attorney said Friday, days after the disgraced R&B superstar was sentenced to 30 years in prison in sex trafficking case.

Jennifer Bonjean said her client's Eighth Amendment rights against cruel and unusual punishment are being violated in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Well-known inmates, including convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, are often put on suicide watch, said Bonjean, who insisted her client wouldn't harm himself.

"MDC Brooklyn is being run like a gulag," Bonjean said. "My partner and I spoke with Mr. Kelly following his sentencing, he expressed that he was mentally fine, was behaving appropriately and was eager to pursue his appeal."

Read the full story at NBCNews.com

After a nearly three-hour hearing, the R&B singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison over convictions of racketeering and sex trafficking.
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