R. Kelly claims prison officials plot his murder
- R. Kelly's legal team claims that three prison officials attempted to orchestrate a plot to kill him.
- The motion includes a sworn statement from an inmate who was approached to carry out the alleged murder.
- Lawyers argue that the lack of action to safeguard Kelly represents cruel and unusual punishment.
In June 2025, R. Kelly, the disgraced R&B singer, is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Butner Medium I in Butner, North Carolina, serving concurrent sentences of 30 years for sex trafficking and 20 years for child sex crimes. His legal team alleges that Kelly's life is in danger, based on claims that three Bureau of Prisons officials solicited another inmate, Mikeal Glenn Stine, to kill him. Stine, who is terminally ill and identified as a gang member of the Aryan Brotherhood, provided a sworn statement detailing the plot and how he was approached with the offer of freedom in exchange for Kelly's murder. Stine ultimately refrained from following through with the plan and instead disclosed the conspiracy to Kelly, highlighting an imminent threat to both their lives. Kelly's attorneys emphasize that the risk has escalated, with more members of the Aryan Brotherhood at the facility being approached to carry out the murder, leading them to file for Kelly's release to home detention on the grounds of cruel and unusual punishment due to the risk to his life. This situation builds upon previous incidents, including an attack on Kelly in 2020 by a fellow inmate, prompting his legal representation to previously advocate for his release. Furthermore, Kelly's case attracted attention due to his high-profile convictions tied to racketeering, sex trafficking, and creating child pornography stemming from allegations dating back to the 1990s, including his controversial marriage to Aaliyah, who was just 15 years old at the time.