R. Kelly Formally Asks Trump to Commute 30-Year Sentence

Key Points:

• R. Kelly has formally requested President Donald Trump to commute his 30-year prison sentence, according to recently released court records, though he is not seeking a full pardon.
• The request follows an earlier emergency motion filed by Kelly’s attorney claiming his life was in danger and alleging government misconduct, including violations of attorney-client privilege.
• Kelly’s legal team accused officials of offering a terminally ill inmate freedom in exchange for murdering Kelly, and claimed Kelly faced solitary confinement as punishment for raising these issues.
• Kelly was convicted in September 2021 on charges including violating the Mann Act and racketeering related to child sexual exploitation, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2022, with an additional 20-year sentence handed down in February 2023 to be served mostly concurrently.
• Kelly’s attorney has pursued a new trial, arguing prosecutorial misconduct influenced the conviction, while also seeking clemency through Trump associates, emphasizing Trump’s alleged understanding of prosecutorial abuse.