R Kelly was sentenced to thirty years in prison this week for sex trafficking. However he was placed almost immediately on suicide watch by the New York Detention Center. The charges were announced at a press conference Monday afternoon by Mike Freeman, the attorney for Hennepin County, an area that includes Minneapolis.
Meanwhile the ‘Pied Pipers’ lawyer; Jennifer Bonjean, told PEOPLE on Friday: “the decision to put her client on suicide watch was for “purely punitive reasons”; because he’s a “high-profile inmate,” and violates his Eighth Amendment rights.
The two charges include engaging in prostitution with an individual under the age of 18. But at least 16 years old and hiring, offering, or agreeing to hire someone in that age range for sexual penetration or sexual contact.
Thus, inciting a new legal matter where R Kelly’s lawyer is suing MDC; the facility where Kelly is currently being held. Nonetheless claiming he’s not suicidal; and that it is a “cruel and unusual punishment,” according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
“MDC has a policy of placing high profile individuals under the harsh conditions of suicide watch; whether they are suicidal or not (this was done recently with Ghislaine Maxwell)” Bonjean told PEOPLE. She goes on to say:
“MDC Brooklyn is being run like a gulag. My partner and I spoke with Mr. Kelly following his sentencing. He expressed that he was mentally fine. He ONLY expressed concern that even though he was NOT suicidal. MDC would place him on suicide watch (as they did following the guilty verdict),” she added. “We have just sued MDC Brooklyn.”
“Inmates are stripped of their clothing and underwear. They’re dressed in a smock made of material that is akin to the material that moving companies use when wrapping furniture,” the complaint alleges. Adding that inmates are “typically placed in a single cell without bed rails. And they were offered no items of comfort.”
R Kelly Is Feeling The Brunt Of Prison Life
“They cannot shower or shave and are sometimes not even afforded toilet paper. Meals are not provided with utensils, forcing inmates to eat with their hands. They have no ability to consult with loved ones or supportive figures,” the complaint claims. “And of course, they are monitored 24-7 by prison officials. Ironically, individuals on ‘suicide watch’ don’t even receive psychiatric care.
“The BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all inmates in our population; our staff, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP does not comment on pending litigation or matters that are the subject of legal proceedings.”