Judge Shuts Down His THIRD Attempt To Get Out Of Jail Over COVID-19

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There’s a saying that the third time’s a charm.

Well, not for R. Kelly, it seems. That’s because today, a federal judge once again shut the disgraced singer down on his third try to get out of jail because of his major concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, BOSSIP can reveal.

Judge Ann Donnelly said today that Kelly hasn’t proven that there are compelling reasons to spring him from jail, where he’s been locked up for almost a year as he awaits trial on two federal cases on charges that include child pornography, racketeering, kidnapping and STD transmission.

Judge Donnelly said Kelly’s crimes involve the sexual abuse of minors that stretched for almost 25 years – and allegations like those do not merit bail. The judge said that although Kelly has insisted that if set free, he’d return to Illinois to stand trial like he did in his 2008 child porn trial, the grand jury found probable cause that he bribed witnesses in that case, and she doesn’t want a repeat of that alleged behavior.

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“…The defendant is charged in Illinois and New York with extraordinarily serious crimes, for which he faces a long prison term if convicted,” Judge Donnelly wrote in her decision, which was obtained by BOSSIP. “That prospect makes him a flight risk. The nature of the charges—which include crimes against minor victims, threats against potential witnesses and paying bribes to keep witnesses from cooperating—make him a danger to the community, including that he could attempt to tamper with prospective witnesses.”

In his motion for bail, which was filed earlier this month, Kelly complained that he was likely diabetic and overweight and therefore more susceptible to coronavirus complications, and complained that conditions in his jail had become a hotbed of filth, and it was only a matter of time before he caught the virus.

But the feds countered that Kelly needed to remain locked up because he was a danger to witnesses in his case and that his medical problems didn’t put him at greater risk of complications from COVID-19. The judge agreed and said the jail’s medical care was good enough to treat Kelly if he became unwell.

Kelly’s lawyer Steve Greenberg told BOSSIP that he opposed the judge’s ruling and would possibly appeal.

“Once again we strongly disagree,” Greenberg said. “We are going to explore the court’s ruling and consider appealing.”

Kelly’s first trial is scheduled to begin later this year.