R. Kelly was denied bail on Wednesday, after the singer's attorneys requested a pretrial release, a request that included claims that Kelly was in poor health.
Prior to the decision, prosecutors responded to Kelly's request with a litany of reasons why he shouldn't be released.
In case documents obtained by Complex, a response letter addressed to Judge Ann M. Donnelly notes—among other things—that Kelly indeed "poses a serious risk of flight if released." Additionally, prosecutors have pushed back against the singer's claims that he wouldn't pursue international travel and that he possessed "almost no financial resources."
Elaborating on the latter, prosecutors said Kelly "continues to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars" by way of music royalties. Those royalty payouts, per a government investigation, were redirected to the bank account of a "childhood friend." Kelly's overall "lack of candor" when discussing his finances, the prosecution adds, is another factor they say should contribute to the denial of his release request.
Kelly is also argued here to possess a real risk for attempted acts of obstruction:
There is probable cause to believe the defendant has a prior history of committing obstruction when faced with serious criminal charges.
Alternative holding methods, i.e. home detention and/or body-worn monitors, are said to be "insufficient" when it comes to eradicating these multifaceted risks. Furthermore, prosecutors said, Kelly has a "track record of non-compliance" that suggests he will not suddenly become compliant now, especially given the current seriousness of his legal situation.
The Brooklyn federal prosecutors recommendations come as Kelly awaits trial on charges including sexual exploitation of a child, racketeering, and kidnapping. The judge set Kelly's trial date for May 18, 2020. The singer's history of alleged sexual abuse was detailed earlier this year in the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly.
