ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
R Kelly is currently in jail in Chicago but he is now going to be moved to a prison in New York City, following District Judge Ann Donnelly’s orders
The instruction for the R&B singer, 54, who is currently in jail in Chicago, to be taken to a prison in the Big Apple was ordered by a federal judge, according to ABC news.
I Believe I Can Fly musician Kelly is awaiting trial in Illinois and New York on 22 charges, including sexual abuse and exploitation, trafficking underage girls, producing indecent images of children and destroying evidence.
The trial in Brooklyn federal court has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic but this week US District Judge Ann Donnelly told lawyers that it will finally go forward on August 9.
The judge told that there will be Covid safe protections in place at the courthouse allowing the trial to go forward.
District Judge Ann also said the government should begin plans to move Kelly to a New York prison – which is most likely to be the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
The time and date of the move were not made public.
Kelly was jailed in July and is awaiting trial for child pornography, the sexual exploitation of children, conspiracy to defraud the US government as well as coercion or enticement of a female.The Grammy Award winner, who denies the charges, also faces several charges in Illinois, Minnesota, and New York involving sexual assault and racketeering.
In February, TMZ reported that Kelly allegedly had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine while he is in jail awaiting trial.
He reportedly got his first dose of the jab in January and the second the following month, meaning he is now fully inoculated, according to TMZ.
It was not clear which vaccine Kelly received.
He is likely to have been prioritised over younger inmates at the jail because his age puts him at higher risk.
Back in July, Kelly was allegedly attacked in his prison cell by a fellow inmate.
It’s believed the inmate was spurred on after the detention facility went into lockdown because of R Kelly protesters outside the jail.
Reports suggested Kelly had no broken bones or serious injuries when he was given the once-over by a doctor.
