Disgraced RnB star R.Kelly has been placed on suicide watch at the federal detention facility in New York where he is being held after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison on racketeering and sex trafficking charges earlier this week.
However, Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean has insisted that the rapper is “not suicidal”, telling CNN that Kelly had actually been fearful of being put on suicide watch.
“The irony of putting someone on suicide watch when they’re not suicidal is it actually causes more harm,” Bonjean said.
Bonjean earlier said she was told by prosecutors that Kelly had been placed on suicide watch because he is well-known, and she has since filed a lawsuit and moved for a temporary restraining order.
The complaint names the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) of Brooklyn and its leading officials as well as the United States government as defendants.
“It’s punishment for being high-profile. And it’s horrifying frankly,” she said. “To put someone under suicide watch under those conditions is cruel and unusual when they don’t need it.”
“MDC-Brooklyn has a policy of punishing high profile inmates by placing them under the harsh conditions of suicide watch even though they are not suicidal,” the lawsuit alleges.
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Earlier this week, R. Kelly’s trial finally came to an end with the disgraced rapper being sentenced to 30 years in prison. The rapper was being tried for multiple charges including sexual abuse, racketeering, sexual acts with minors, obstruction of justice, and others.
He was convicted of racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits trafficking across states for prostitution.
Over the years, multiple victims had accused the rapper of using his position, status, and power to lure them into sexually, mentally, and physically abusive situations under the pretext of advancing their careers or having a relationship with them. Many victims had also detailed gruelling accounts, including being locked in rooms for days, being starved, and without access to bathrooms.
In a 2008 trial, Kelly walked away scot-free despite the allegations against him. With the release of the landmark documentary Surviving R. Kelly, however, interest in the allegations was reignited. Surviving R. Kelly featured accounts from Kelly’s survivors, going into detail about how the rapper had sustained a network of abuse for decades.
For Kelly’s survivors, thus, the fight has been long and tiring – but the sentencing is a welcome change.
“He preyed on young girls and boys for over 30 years — it only seems fit that he’s put away for the same amount of time,” survivor Lisa Van Allen told Variety.
“Reflecting back on trial in 2008, I’m so proud to see how far we have come 14 years later. It brings me nothing but joy to know that I am, and will continue, to be part of the solution. I am thankful for everyone that let us be heard. I do it for anyone who feels voiceless — know that you are not alone. We aren’t victims. We are survivors. Our work isn’t done, this is just the beginning.” she told the publication.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue.
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