Singer R. Kelly’s bid for release from jail due to the Coronavirus pandemic has been denied.
Kelly’s attorneys had requested the singer be placed on home confinement at the Roosevelt Collections Loft apartment complex in Chicago, citing difficulties in meeting with him and preparing for trial due to the prison’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Legal documents obtained by TMZ on Tuesday revealed that a judge in Chicago denied the motion, labeling the 53-year-old R&B singer as a flight risk.
The judge stated, ‘[Kelly] is currently in custody because of the risks that he will flee or attempt to obstruct, threaten or intimidate prospective witnesses. The defendant has not explained how those risks have changed.’
Regarding Kelly’s concerns about contracting Coronavirus, the Chicago judge pointed out that there are no confirmed cases of the virus at Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago, where the singer is currently held.
The judge also highlighted measures taken by the Bureau of Prisons to combat the spread of the virus in its facilities, such as suspending all social visits and inmate facility transfers.
Additionally, the singer’s claim of being at high risk due to his age was dismissed by the judge, who mentioned that Kelly is twelve years younger than the CDC-defined cohort of ‘older adults’ at high risk.
Although Kelly mentioned his surgical history, the judge emphasized that it does not place him at a higher risk of severe illness, as doctors have completed all treatment for his recent operation, according to government advice.
The judge also expressed skepticism about the trial proceeding as scheduled, citing the potential for additional time to prepare for trial as conditions return to normal.
R.Kelly is being held at the Chicago Metropolitan Correctional Center, awaiting trial on racketeering, sexual misconduct, and other charges in three jurisdictions.