R. Kelly Is ‘Miserable’ In Jail And Can’t Read Fan Mail, According To His Lawyer
As R. Kelly waits out the rest of his trial in jail after being denied bail in his both New York and Chicago cases, his lawyer, Steve Greenberg, said that the embattled R&B singer isn’t faring too well behind bars. The lawyer said that Kelly is “miserable.”
Speaking with the Chicago Sun-Times on August 9, Greenberg said the R&B singer, who is facing multiple charges across states including sex trafficking, sexual abuse and child pornography, has been emotionally distraught over the federal cases. He hasn’t been able to work on any music, watch TV, read books or listen to the radio as he sits out his bid in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Furthermore, Greenberg said that the “soft-spoken” Kelly is in low spirits without his entourage around him and nobody to talk to.
“He’s dealing with a lot of stories that have been made up. He’s not a fighter. I’ve seen him cry when he talks about the situation,” Greenberg said of the singer’s mental state. “Now he’s been placed in the MCC’s ‘SHU’ — a cell in solitary confinement away from the jail population and is constantly being moved from cell to cell. He has only the guards to talk to.”
Only one of his two girlfriends and an uncle who goes by “Uncle Bug” have paid him a visit thus far. Greenberg didn’t know whether the girlfriend in question is Joycelyn Savage or Azriel Clary, the two women who have publicly claimed to be in a relationship with the singer. Greenberg said that Kelly has found solace in his spirituality, although he can’t read the scripture as he is basically illiterate.
“He’s also a spiritual guy, has a Bible with him in his cell, but he can’t read it. It’s basically there for comfort,” Greenberg said. The lawyer said the only thing keeping Kelly uplifted is the words of encouragement he’s been receiving from fans through the mail.
“He is receiving plenty of mail, which is 97% positive and he pores over it,” added Greenberg, who said there are a few words R. Kelly can read on his own and others he eventually recognizes by sounding them out to himself as he reads over the messages.
As of now, Kelly has put any music-making aspirations on hold. The singer’s team filed a petition for Kelly to get access to a computer so he could reportedly finish his next album, but Greenberg said they “gave up” on the request for now.
“He’s got a new album he needs to release, but it’s backed up into the cloud now. But he needs to get that album out. People are waiting for it.”
