According to PageSix, R.Kelly had asked to be freed while awaiting trial. His lawyers argued that he doesn’t have any money to flee even if he wanted to.

However, a Brooklyn federal Judge Ann Donnelly denied that request on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. According to her, Kelly is accused of committing crimes involving “very young girls,” his finances are “murky, to say the least” and the proposed home detention “certainly would do nothing to deter him” from intimidating witnesses.

Even though R.Kelly wasn't in court for the sitting, his lawyers were unable to convince the Judge to grant him bail. A new date, May 18, 2020, has been set for trial and the judge said the proceeding is expected to last about three weeks.

Back in August 2019, R.Kelly was denied bail by a Brooklyn magistrate after fresh charges were levelled against him.

R. Kelly refused bail in Brooklyn sex abuse case

R. Kelly pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn federal court on Friday, August 2, 2019, to charges of racketeering and transporting women and girls for sex and was held without bail.

PageSix reports that a glum-looking Kelly entered the plea through his lawyer Douglas Anton as his two girlfriends and alleged sex slaves Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary looked on from the gallery.

The magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione denied the singer bail, finding that he’d be unable to comply with the conditions of his release. “The defendant is accused of a multitude of crimes. They’re not minor charges,” said the judge. “I’m extremely troubled by the issues of potential obstruction in prior cases.”