R Kelly no longer has to worry about contracting the coronavirus in prison while awaiting his upcoming federal sex crimes trials. TMZ reports that the disgraced singer is now fully inoculated from the virus after receiving his second dose from the Bureau of Prisons at MCC Chicago.
Kelly and his attorney had expressed concern that the singer would contract the coronavirus while in prison, and had petitioned the court for a temporary release. In a motion filed in April 2020, Kelly’s attorney argued that the his confinement during the pandemic was “tantamount to making [him] drink poison,” citing “substandard” sanitation within the prison and difficultly in practicing social distancing. The judge ultimately rejected Kelly’s request after concluding that he was “a flight risk and poses a danger to the community, especially prospective witnesses.”
As far as we know, Kelly never did end up contracting the coronavirus prior to receiving the vaccine. He was however attacked by a fellow inmate, who attempted to stab Kelly using an ink pen.
Kelly is facing federal indictments in both New York and Illinois, as well as state charges in Illinois and Minnesota. Earlier this month, a former associate of Kelly’s pleaded guilty of attempting to bribe a witness to not testify against the imprisoned sex abuser.
