R. Kelly’s motion to disqualify Chicago prosecutors from his case was denied after a judge ruled his claims lacked evidence.
R. Kelly failed to convince a federal judge in Chicago to disqualify the entire U.S. Attorney’s Office from his case, with the court ruling his accusations lacked credible evidence.
U.S. District Judge Martha Pacold denied the singer’s motion, calling it an “extreme” and “drastic” request based on speculation rather than proof.
R. Kelly had argued the prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois could not fairly handle his post-conviction proceedings due to alleged misconduct and internal conflicts.
“To warrant such an extraordinary intrusion into the affairs of a coequal branch as the disqualification of an entire USAO, a defendant must make an equally extraordinary showing. Kelly’s motion does not meet that standard,” Judge Pacold said.
Kelly claimed that a former prosecutor involved in his case had committed misconduct and that the remaining staff could not be impartial. However, the judge noted that the individual he accused no longer works for the office and that Kelly himself admitted the current prosecutor on the case did not engage in wrongdoing.
The court emphasized that removing an entire U.S. Attorney’s Office is a rare move.
Kelly’s legal team, led by attorney Beau Brindley, had filed the motion in June. They alleged misconduct, conflicts of interest and even possible criminal behavior by at least one former prosecutor.
Brindley argued the office could not be trusted to investigate itself and requested that the Department of Justice in Washington or another district step in.
R. Kelly is currently serving a 30-year sentence at FCI Butner in North Carolina following his 2022 conviction on federal charges involving child pornography and obstruction of justice. The Seventh Circuit upheld his conviction in 2024.
He is now pursuing a new trial, citing constitutional violations and claims of government misconduct.
His team alleges federal officials conspired to derail his defense, including stealing legal mail, coercing testimony, and even plotting to have him killed.
The government has until October 16, 2025, to respond to Kelly’s motion for a new trial.
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