R. Kelly’s bid for freedom gets shot down for the third time

Notorious American singer and songwriter R. Kelly’s third plea for freedom was shot down by a Brooklyn federal judge on Friday.

The R&B singer is still deemed a flight risk and is considered to a danger to the community, which is why his third appeal too was rejected.

His lawyers had argued that the singer is now prediabetic which has now heightened his health risk if he gets infected with the coronavirus.

Judge Ann Donnelly turning down the request, wrote: “I do not agree that a diagnosis of prediabetes presents a compelling reason for the defendant’s release.”

“While the CDC has identified diabetes as a risk factor for COVID-19, the same is not true for prediabetes, a condition that affects nearly one in three American adults,” she added.

Prior to this, Judge Donnelly had declined two of his earlier bids for freedom as well.

Meanwhile, his Brooklyn federal court trial for racketeering and sexual misconduct has been postponed from July to late September owing to the delays being caused by the coronavirus lockdown in the United States.

Kelly has been facing jail term on an earlier New York indictment that includes racketeering, accusing Kelly of systematically recruiting girls, coercing them into sexual activity while touring.