R. Kelly was recently taken to a prison in Brooklyn ahead of his sex trafficking trial in New York City. However, the mandated quarantine required after he was transferred is now at the center of a request to postpone the trial. According to Associated Press, Kelly's attorney Deveraux Cannick filed a motion to court requesting a delay in the trial after Kellz was placed under a 14-day quarantine. Cannick told the court that the quarantine, which ends Tuesday, worsened their “herculean effort” to prepare for the case after they were hired on June 21st.
Cannick told Judge Ann Donnelly that because of the quarantine, Kelly's new legal team has not been able to meet with him in person. Cannick argued that the circumstances would rob him of a fair trial.
"Robert is anxious to have his day in court; however not at the expense of his Sixth Amendment rights," Cannick wrote. So far, there has not been a ruling on the request for a trial delay.
Once Kelly's quarantine is completed and he can meet with his lawyers, he'll have to use a conference room in the jail. In the case that a room isn't available, Kelly will have to meet with his lawyers at a shared table with other inmates and attorneys.
"The nature of the evidence here does not lend itself to open frank discussions in such an environment," Cannick added.
We'll keep you posted on more updates on Kelly's NYC trial.
