A frustrated inmate attacked R. Kelly at a Chicago federal lockup because he was upset over lockdowns caused by the disgraced artist, his lawyer told The Post Thursday.
The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer, who’s awaiting trial on a series of child sex abuse charges, was in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center when a fellow inmate walked in and started attacking him, said Steven Greenberg, Kelly’s Chicago-based counsel.
“I talked to a couple of other inmates who said that it was a dust up and he’s not hurt too bad,” Greenberg said during a brief interview.
“According to the jail, he received minor injuries, nothing broken or anything like that.”
Greenberg said the belligerent resident was irate over recent lockdowns caused by pro-R. Kelly protests outside of the jail.
“My understanding is, everytime there is a pro-R. Kelly protest outside of the jail, they lockdown the entire facility,” Greenberg said.
“When they do this, inmates don’t get their commissary, they don’t get their shower, stuff like that and since they’re fairly sporadic anyway, they get upset. So they’re penalizing everyone in the facility because people are protesting in support of Kelly.”
The beatdown landed Kelly in solitary confinement because it’s the only place jail staff “can protect him,” Greenberg said, adding he’s unclear if the attacker has or will face punishment.
“But I’m still very concerned because sure this time the guards were able to quickly stop something from happening but what happens if someone goes in his cell with a shank or something like that? Or the guards are busy doing something else?” said Greenberg.
“We were fortunate this time but who’s to say next time?”
Kelly has repeatedly petitioned the courts to release him amid the coronavirus pandemic but those requests have all been rejected. He was originally scheduled to face trial for rape, sex trafficking and child pornography charges back in April but the case has been delayed due to the pandemic. He’s also facing similar charges in Brooklyn.