R. Kelly (53) has been in custody since last summer. The US singer recently made an application to be released from prison for the corona virus. He had argued that he was at increased risk of being arrested for inadequate measures. A court in Brooklyn has now rejected the application, as reported, among others, the industry magazine "Variety".
He could intimidate witnesses
Kelly is currently at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, where he is waiting for a trial for several sex offenses, among other things. At the end of March, his lawyers filed an application for release. A judge refused to do so, however, because Kelly was not a risk group among the inmates.
Kelly is also in custody because of the risk of escaping or intimidating witnesses. The judge does not see how this situation has changed. Kelly's lawyers had requested house arrest instead of prison for the singer.