What R. Kelly’s 30-Year Sentence Entails
R. Kelly is currently in prison serving a lengthy sentence for the first of many sex abuse criminal trials, the first of which took place in Brooklyn. The disgraced R&B singer claims he’s innocent and has never had non-consensual sex with anyone, nor minors. His current sentence is 30 years and has severe stipulations even if he’s released.
What the conditions of R. Kelly’s 30-year sentence entail
Kelly has officially begun serving his 30-year sentence. The singer will be in his 80s when/if he’s released and will have to abide by strict rules. Madame Noire reports that the Surviving R. Kelly figure will have to get therapy for “an unspecified sexual disorder” upon his release. Additionally, the sentencing requires Kelly to avoid contact with anyone under the age of 18. Many of his victims say they began sexual relationships with the singer when they were minors.
If any of Kelly’s plans involve him being around a minor, a family member must accompany the child to supervise them while they are in Kelly’s presence. For other situations, the meeting can only take place during a treatment session with a “responsible adult” present. The singer must also have approval from his probation officer before being around anyone under 18.
Once his sentence is completed, Kelly will spend another five years under supervised release following his incarceration. Kelly also has to pay a $100,000 fine. While he’s in prison, his lawyer Jennifer Bonjean plans to appeal his conviction.
He was temporarily placed on suicide watch
Almost immediately after his verdict, Kelly was placed in isolation on suicide watch. Bonjean told CNN that Kelly had been fearful of being put on suicide watch prior to being forced into it. “The irony of putting someone on suicide watch when they’re not suicidal is it actually causes more harm,” she said in a statement. “It’s punishment for being high-profile. And it’s horrifying frankly. To put someone under suicide watch under those conditions is cruel and unusual when they don’t need it.”
Kelly sued as a result TMZ reports that he filed suit against MDC Brooklyn, accusing them of “cruel and unusual punishment.” He listed the harsh conditions of the environment and argued his 8th Amendment rights were being violated because “he is not suicidal and expressly told MDC officials that he was not suicidal and had no thoughts of harming himself or others.”
He has since been removed from suicide watch. Kelly will now be moved to Illinois for his upcoming trial.
The singer faces similar charges in other states
Kelly’s trial in Illinois is scheduled to begin in Aug. 2022. He also faces similar charges of sex trafficking and abuse in Georgia, Florida, and Minnesota.
