Jailed Singer R. Kelly Reportedly Contracts COVID-19

This Tuesday, R’Kelly’s lawyer revealed in an early court filing that the jailed singer has contracted COVID-19. Kelly is currently awaiting sentencing in a Brooklyn federal jail for his racketeering conviction.

It was said by Jennifer Bonjean that the singer’s diagnosis has hampered his ability to speak on the phone about his appeal of his conviction, which is due Thursday. She’s now asking for a two-week extension.
“It is vitally important that Mr. Kelly meaningfully participates in his post-trial defense,” Bonjean wrote in the motion, saying she hoped to communicate with him in an upcoming video call. Kelly, who has been jailed without bail since 2019, was convicted in September 2021 by a federal jury in New York on racketeering conspiracy charges and other counts. Kelly, (born Robert Sylvester Kelly,) is also facing four separate indictments alleging sexual abuse in state court in Chicago and a child prostitution charge in Minnesota. He is set to stand trial Aug. 1 in Chicago on child pornography and obstruction of justice charges.