FAST FACTS
- R. Kelly has formally requested clemency from President Donald Trump.
- The Chicago singer is seeking a commutation of his 30-year sentence—not a full pardon.
- Kelly remains incarcerated at a federal prison in North Carolina.
- The White House has not publicly responded to the request.
- Source: WGN
Chicago singer R. Kelly has formally asked President Donald Trump to commute his 30-year federal prison sentence.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Kelly’s request was made public this week by the Office of the Pardon Attorney, the Department of Justice agency responsible for reviewing federal clemency applications.
Kelly, whose legal name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is requesting a commutation rather than a full presidential pardon. A commutation could reduce or end his remaining prison sentence, but it would not overturn or erase his convictions.
The formal filing comes more than a year after Kelly’s attorney publicly called on Trump to immediately release the singer from federal custody.
Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after being convicted in New York of racketeering and sex trafficking charges. He was later convicted in Chicago on child pornography and child enticement charges and received an additional 20-year sentence, with most of that time being served concurrently.
The Grammy-winning singer has been incarcerated in North Carolina since being transferred from Chicago in April 2023. Since the transfer, Kelly and his legal team have repeatedly alleged that he has been mistreated in federal custody.
His attorneys previously claimed that prison officials plotted to have Kelly killed by another inmate. They also alleged that he was hospitalized after receiving an overdose of medication while behind bars. The claims have been raised through court filings and public statements from Kelly’s legal team.
The White House has not publicly responded to Kelly’s formal clemency request, and there is currently no indication that President Trump plans to approve it.
BE APART OF THE CONVERSATION: R. Kelly’s request is now officially part of the federal clemency process, but filing an application does not guarantee that the president will review or grant it. The latest development is already reopening conversations about Kelly’s convictions, his treatment in prison and whether his sentence should remain in place.
Source: WGN-TV and the Chicago Tribune
