While most everyone in America is sheltering in place in fear of coronavirus, some celebrities behind bars, such Bill Cosby and R. Kelly, are pressing to be released from lockups.
Meanwhile, the list of famous people convicted or accused of crimes who fear COVID-19 more in prison than outside is growing: Cosby; Kelly; President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen; Trump's ex-legal tormentor, lawyer Michael Avenatti; and Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine.
Kelly, Greenberg points out, is innocent unless proven guilty, but given the state of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago and the alleged lack of hand sanitizer and soap, Kelly feels his health and possibly his life are at risk. Plus, the virus could interfere with his meeting with his lawyers.
Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, who also have a case against Kelly, argued in court papers against releasing Kelly, saying his fears are unfounded, the jails are properly prepared against the virus, he has sufficient access to soap and cleaning supplies and he remains a flight risk.Jails releasing hundreds of prisoners amid coronavirus fears, up from dozens weeks ago
Cosby, 82, blind and frail, is not ill nor has he tested positive for the virus, according to his spokesman, Andrew Wyatt. Cosby has been in Pennsylvania prison SCI-Phoenix, near Philadelphia, since September 2018 after being convicted of three sex crimes.
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