A Brooklyn judge on Tuesday denied R. Kelly’s request for release due to the coronavirus pandemic, finding that he is not among the inmates most endangered by the disease.
Kelly is being held at the Chicago Metropolitan Correctional Center, where he is awaiting trial on racketeering, sexual misconduct and other charges in three jurisdictions. On March 26, his attorneys asked that he be released, citing his age, 53, and a recent surgery as risk factors that made him susceptible to a severe bout of the illness.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly denied the motion, finding that he remains a flight risk.
“The defendant is currently in custody because of the risks that he will flee or attempt to obstruct, threaten or intimidate prospective witnesses,” Donnelly wrote. “The defendant has not explained how those risks have changed.”