It has been confirmed that R.Kelly has opted to have “a poor attitude” while behind bars. The artist, who is incarcerated at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago for a long list of charges, has refused to take in a cellmate for a surprising reason.
According to prison records obtained by The Chicago Tribune, the star who is locked up in the housing unit was asked to take a cellmate and he refused by saying, “I was told I didn’t have to take a cellie, and I have too much going on to worry about the incident report.”
It was also revealed that Kelly had a “poor attitude” about the request and he was therefore written up.
According to Kelly’s attorneys, the disgraced singer has been unfairly targeted by the legal system because of his celebrity status and the nature of the charges filed against him, and he has reportedly requested to be released from solitary confinement in anticipation of his trial.
The R&B legend has been held in strict conditions for some time now, although this is reportedly normal in cases involving accusations of child molestation.
The reason has nothing to do with discrimination, but it is instead a move designed to help the accused themselves evade some serious repercussions, such as being targeted by their fellow inmates once they discover the nature of their alleged crimes.
The artist had been denied a transfer out of solitary confinement, with the main reason stated being his “alleged offense and notoriety.”
So far, this seems to fit the standard profile of cases like his, although his attorney is not convinced that this is legitimate.
There has been no statement indicating that the court might have reversed its decision so far, meaning that Kelly will have to remain locked away in solitary confinement for the time being.
According to reports, his conditions include no contact with other humans — even correctional officers — minimal access to external resources, and also limitations on his showering regime and other aspects of his life.
Some have decried the conditions the artist is being held in, describing them as inhumane — but they are not too different from what most other solitary confinement prisoners have to endure.