R. Kelly Jail Attack: ‘No One Raised A Finger’ To Stop Singer's Beating, Lawyers Say

Lawyers for R. Kelly claimed in a new court filing Friday that security video shows no one at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago had intervened while the singer was being attacked by an inmate in late August, a report said.

The lawyers said jail personnel at the facility where the singer is being held only stepped in when the inmate was "well into beating Kelly," CNN reported. They alleged that the inmate who beat up Kelly was allowed to roam "a great distance" within the MCC and no one "lifted a finger" to stop the attack.

The 53-year-old singer, lawyers said, was suffering from "significant physical and psychological injuries" stemming from the attack, which they believe could have been encouraged by guards at the correctional facility.

"An unresolved issue remains as to whether MCC personnel encouraged, and then allowed, a beating of Mr. Kelly to take place," Michael Leonard, a lawyer for Kelly, wrote. "That alone merits an evidentiary hearing."

CNN reached out to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois for comment, but both declined the media outlet's requests. CNN also did not obtain the video in question.

Kelly was attacked by fellow inmate Jeremiah Shane Farmer in his cell at Chicago's federal jail in August.

In a six-page document filed Sept. 1 with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the 39-year-old Latin Kings street gang member claimed that he beat up Kelly "in hopes of getting spotlight attention and world news notice to shed light on" alleged government corruption.

Farmer’s filing also includes a Bureau of Prisons incident report that reveals he repeatedly punched the musician in the head and torso before a prison employee used pepper spray to break up the Aug. 26 assault.

Kelly was arrested last year and charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The R&B musician was originally set to face trial in April, but it has been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He is facing child pornography and obstruction of justice charges in Illinois, as well as a racketeering indictment in New York.

Last month, an appeals court in Illinois denied Kelly's appeal to be released on bond, stating that prosecutors presented "clear and convincing evidence" that the singer was a potential danger to the community and was a flight risk.

This was Kelly's sixth attempt at being released on bail, CNN reported.