R. Kelly is not safe in jail, his lawyer claims.
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, Kelly’s lawyer, Steven Greenberg, filed a motion seeking to have the embattled singer released from jail as he awaits trial on sex crimes charges, according to Page Six.
Last week, inmates at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago reportedly were upset that the facility was placed on lockdown a few days earlier due to people protesting Kelly’s criminal charges outside of the jail.
Kelly is said to have been sleeping when an inmate allegedly walked into his cell and punched him in the face. Greenberg claims that the inmate nearly stabbed Kelly with an ink pen before throwing him to the floor and stomping him on the head. The inmate continued to attack Kelly for several more seconds until the alleged attack was eventually stopped, he said. Kelly was treated and allowed to return to his cell.
Greenberg argued that the inmate was not supposed to be near Kelly.
“This is an inmate that never should have been anywhere near Mr. Kelly, an individual who is charged with the most violent of crimes, and one who plainly has no respect for the rules. He has the phrase ‘F— The Feds’ tattooed on his face,” Greenberg said, according to court documents.
Greenberg said he also believes that Kelly is being targeted by authorities.
“These unnecessary institutional lockdowns have needlessly promoted animosity towards Mr. Kelly,” he explained. “Notably, the institution does not go into lockdown during other, violent, downtown protests or during citywide looting.”
Kelly’s lawyer asked for the singer to be released so that he could live with his girlfriend as he awaits trial.
The singer has remained behind bars since he was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, and aggravated criminal sex abuse.
The four aggravated criminal sexual assault charges are felonies that could carry prison terms of up to 30 years.
A judge has yet to decide on Greenberg’s motion.
