Imprisoned R&B singer R. Kelly has formally petitioned President Donald Trump to commute his 30-year federal prison sentence while his motion for a new trial remains pending. The request, recently made public by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney, seeks a reduction of Kelly's sentence rather than a full presidential pardon. The documents supporting the clemency request have not been released, and the application is still under review.

The filing comes more than a year after Kelly's attorney, Beau Brindley, publicly urged Trump to intervene on the singer's behalf, claiming Kelly's life was in danger and alleging federal authorities had engaged in misconduct during his incarceration. Although Brindley previously said he was pursuing discussions with the White House, he did not formally seek clemency at that time. Instead, he focused on a motion for a new trial in federal court, arguing prosecutors improperly obtained Kelly's jail correspondence. Federal prosecutors have dismissed those allegations as baseless, and the motion remains under consideration by U.S. District Judge Martha Pacold.

Brindley is also facing legal scrutiny of his own. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission recently filed a 31-page complaint accusing the attorney of misconduct, including misleading judges and collecting unearned legal fees from clients. Brindley has denied the allegations and said he remains committed to Kelly's clemency effort, confirming this week that the application is still active. A hearing on the disciplinary complaint has not yet been scheduled.