R. Kelly Motions Judge To Intervene After Former Business Partner, Who Was Accused Of Helping Singer Hide Years Of Sexual Abuse, Was Allegedly Blocked From Visiting Him By Prison Warden

R. Kelly Motions Judge To Intervene After Former Business Partner, Who Was Accused Of Helping Singer Hide Years Of Sexual Abuse, Was Allegedly Blocked From Visiting Him By Prison Warden

Jailed R&B singer R. Kelly says his rights are being violated in prison.

A recent report from Radar Online claims that the 56-year-old musician’s lawyers recently submitted paperwork to have a judge overrule the prison warden, who is allegedly interfering with his visitation rights.

R. Kelly

Reportedly, Robert “R.” Kelly says that his friend and longtime business partner Derrell McDavid has been repeatedly blocked from coming to see him. The Grammy Award winner is being held at the FCI Butner prison in North Carolina. As we previously covered, McDavid was a co-defendant in Kelly’s criminal Chicago trial last year.

The business manager was accused of helping the “Ignition” singer cover up years of sexual abuse by handing out hush money prior to his 2008 trial. Both McDavid and Kelly were ultimately acquitted on their obstruction and conspiracy charges, however, with McDavid subsequently filing a countersuit seeking restitution.

Now, Kelly’s lawyers claim that despite the not-guilty verdicts, the prison warden at FCI Butner will not allow McDavid to visit the prison. More so, they allege that the warden is refusing to give them adequate legal reason for the decision, stating they:

“declined the request, [only] offering the reason that Mr. McDavid was a co-defendant in Mr. Kelly’s criminal trial.”

Derrel McDavid, R. Kelly

Continuing, they reportedly added:

“There were NO convictions on the counts in which Mr. McDavid and Mr. Kelly were charged together. Indeed, the Constitution creates a right in all criminal defendants to have their guilt decided by a jury, not a prison warden,”

And stated about McDavid:

“He is a citizen who has been fully exonerated of the charges brought against him. And that exoneration means something. There is absolutely no legitimate penological reason for FCI Butner to refuse the visitation of Mr. Kelly’s decades-long friend and associate,”

The report notes that Kelly’s lawyers asked that the judge grant his request for the businessman to be added to his visitation list immediately, citing that McDavid has no history of violence and “his visitation poses no security concerns.” Additionally, they reportedly claim that the warden’s refusal to allow him in is:

“inconsistent with Bureau of Prison (“BOP”) regulations and policies, patently unreasonable, and advanced no legitimate penological interest.”

A judge has reportedly not yet made a decision about the case.

As we reported in June of last year, R. Kelly remains incarcerated after being found guilty of 14 RICO charges related to child abuse and sex trafficking. His conviction resulted in a 30-year prison sentence. In February of this year, he was sentenced again to 20 years in a Chicago federal courtroom on charges of child pornography and enticement of a minor.

It was ruled 19 years of the 20-year prison sentence will be served concurrently and one year would be served consecutively.

However, in March, the singer appealed the 20-year sentencing in an effort to have the verdict reduced or overthrown.

There has been no recent update about his appeal case, however.

Do you think there’s a good reason McDavid isn’t being allowed to see R. Kelly? Leave your thoughts in the comments section!