R. Kelly, the 58‑year‑old R&B singer serving a 30‑year federal sentence, was rushed to Duke University Hospital on June 13 after collapsing in his cell at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, allegedly due to an overdose of medication administered by prison staff. His attorneys maintain that the dose provided was significantly higher than his prescribed regimen, triggering symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, vision loss, and ultimately loss of consciousness. According to court filings, staff handed the medication while he was held in solitary confinement—which began after he filed a motion on June 10 claiming that prison officials had conspired to have him killed.

His legal team points to statements by inmate Mikeal Glenn Stine, who alleges being approached by staff and Aryan Brotherhood inmates to kill Kelly in exchange for privileges—and, instead of complying, warned Kelly. Medical examinations at Duke reportedly uncovered life-threatening blood clots in both his lungs and legs. Doctors recommended surgery and at least a week-long hospital stay, but prison officers allegedly removed him within hours—against medical advice—and returned him to solitary confinement. Kelly now reportedly refuses food out of fear of poisoning and remains isolated, with no family contact.

In response, Kelly’s attorney, Beau Brindley, has filed an emergency motion for home confinement, calling the conditions “cruel and unusual” and arguing that “Mr. Kelly’s life is in jeopardy right now because the Bureau of Prisons denied him necessary surgery…”. The filing also requests a presidential pardon and cites the alleged assassination plot as further evidence of imminent danger. Federal prosecutors, however, dismiss the claims as “unfounded” or “deeply unserious,” emphasizing Kelly’s criminal history and lack of remorse.

A government lawyer called Kelly’s motion “procedurally flawed,” while an Assistant U.S. Attorney described it as a “mockery” of his victims’ suffering . The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment, citing privacy and security concerns. A key hearing on Kelly’s motion is scheduled for June 20, 2025, when a judge will weigh the legal merits of his claims and whether home confinement is warranted. As debates continue, Kelly remains behind bars, his medical treatment halted, and new questions raised about the timing and intent of his overdose.