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Kelly’s attorneys argue that their client’s continued incarceration is tantamount to a death sentence. “We have received credible, documented evidence that officials attempted to arrange for Mr. Kelly’s murder by soliciting another inmate,” Tuesday’s filing states. “Immediate release to home detention is the only way to ensure his safety.”

Kelly’s legal team submitted a sworn declaration from Mikeal Glenn Stine, a terminally ill inmate, who alleges that prison officials promised him his freedom in exchange for murdering Kelly. According to Stine, officials claimed that Kelly and his lawyers were attempting to expose incriminating information, and that they had already violated attorney-client privilege by intercepting confidential correspondence. Stine further asserts that officials told him he would be charged with Kelly’s murder, but that evidence would be manipulated to guarantee his acquittal.

Stine, described as a leader within the Aryan Brotherhood, was transferred to Kelly’s unit in March. Although he initially intended to follow through with the alleged plot, Stine ultimately disclosed the plan to Kelly, stating that Bureau of Prisons officials had ordered him to carry out the killing. Kelly’s attorneys further contend that, in June, they discovered a second Aryan Brotherhood member was also instructed by officials to murder both Kelly and Stine. As Kelly remains housed alongside Brotherhood members, his attorneys argue that he remains in imminent danger.

“The threat to Mr. Kelly’s life continues each day that no action is taken,” the emergency motion states. “More Aryan Brotherhood members are accumulating at his facility. Multiple individuals have already been approached to carry out his murder. It is only a matter of time before someone acts, potentially burying the truth about this case along with Robert Kelly.”

Attorney Beau B. Brindley, representing Kelly, is now urging the court to approve a temporary release to home detention.

These allegations—if substantiated—would constitute not only an appalling abuse of government power but a potential criminal conspiracy within the very system charged with upholding the law.

Legal Experts Weigh In

Legal experts are divided, but nearly all agree that if the claims can be verified, the ramifications would be seismic. “Alleging a murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by prison officials is almost unheard of in modern American jurisprudence,” says criminal defense attorney Michael L. O’Connor. “The court will demand compelling evidence, but if it’s there, expect a full-blown investigation at the highest levels.”