Days after the disgraced singer complained that the extra protective measures were punishment, R. KELLY has been taken off suicide watch in jail, prosecutors informed a federal judge on Tuesday.
Federal officials put the musician under observation "for his own protection" after he was given a 30-year prison term last week for sexually assaulting young women.
Quickly asserting that it wasn't required and was "just for punitive purposes," Kelly's attorneys.
Prosecutors, however, now claim in a fresh document made on Tuesday that the argument is irrelevant because Kelly had already voluntarily withdrawn from the special status.
Plaintiff Robert Sylvester Kelly, popularly known as "R. Kelly," was taken off suicide watch on July 5 following a clinical evaluation. Government lawyers wrote.
Plaintiff has already been taken off suicide watch, thus the court can do nothing more to help him.
For his own protection, R Kelly is under suicide watch.
Kelly was found guilty of nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking in September after years of allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The charges stemmed from claims that the singer had been involved in a long-running plot to enlist and abuse women and young girls.
Although a protracted appeal is still pending, Kelly was given a 30-year jail term on June 29.
The singer's attorneys claimed that because he had been mistreated as a youngster, he should only serve 10 years or less in prison, but Judge Ann Donnelly said she needed to discourage any other "strong person" who believes he should spend less time.
The judge remarked during the hearing that there were "simply so many cases in this trial of indifference to human pain, of outright brutality, I could not list them all."
Even the most seasoned investigator, in my opinion, will not soon forget the shocking proof of the atrocities your victims went through.
After the verdict, Kelly was placed on suicide watch. Jennifer Bonjean, his attorney, said that the situation was unjust and unwarranted in a legal case she filed on Friday.
Nothing that happened throughout the sentencing process surprised Mr. Kelly, according to Bonjean's report.
"While the requirements for suicide watch may be acceptable for people who are actually at risk of harming themselves, they are harsh and in violation of the Eighth Amendment for people who are not in that situation."
Tuesday's request for response from Bonjean went unanswered.
R. Kelly received a 30-year sentence for sexual assault.
The second trial for Kelly will begin on August 15 in federal court in Chicago, where the prosecution will accuse him of having child pornography and impeding the course of justice.
He may be sentenced to further jail time in addition to the 30 years already imposed in New York if found guilty on those crimes. In addition, Bonjean is appealing the decision in New York, and he will shortly begin a legal fight in an appeals court to get the conviction overturned.