R. Kelly is making a play for freedom. The disgraced R&B singer has formally submitted a clemency petition to the Department of Justice, asking President Trump to commute his combined 31-year prison sentence. Attorney Beau Brindley confirmed the request was filed Tuesday with the Office of the Pardon Attorney and remains pending.
The petition argues Kelly, 59, was unfairly targeted by federal prosecutors. Brindley claims the use of racketeering charges in the New York case was an “abuse of power,” alleging the DOJ pursued a public figure rather than justice. Kelly was convicted in the 2021 New York trial of racketeering, sexual exploitation of children, forced labor, and Mann Act violations. He was later convicted in Chicago of producing child pornography and enticing a minor.
Brindley also points to Kelly’s deteriorating health as grounds for release, citing a blood clot in his neck and other major medical issues. The appeal comes after a federal court upheld his convictions and sentence in February 2025. Kelly is serving his time at a medium-security facility in Butner, North Carolina, with a scheduled release date of January 2046.
