Two of R. Kelly lead attorneys ask court to exit federal case amid unrest on singer's legal team

Two of R. Kelly’s lead lawyers, Steven Greenberg and Michael Leonard, have requested to withdraw from the case ahead of the federal trial amid a dispute with other members of the singer’s defense team.

According to TMZ, Greenberg and Leonard cited a rift on the team with lawyers Thomas A. Farinella and Nicole Blank Becker in their request.

The shake-up comes about two months before the singer’s federal trial is set to commence in New York, with a start date of August 9.

The latest: Two of R. Kelly’s lawyers, Steven Greenberg (pictured) and Michael Leonard, have requested to withdraw from the case ahead of the federal trial amid a dispute with other members of the singer’s defense team. The singer was snapped in court in Chicago in 2019 

The 54-year-old singer is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, racketeering, forced labor and bribery.

Greenberg and Leonard said in a joint statement to the outlet: ‘We refused to try a case with lawyers who don’t have the appropriate level of experience and skill because that is not in the client’s best interest. It is a shame that lawyers can’t suppress their own egos or self interest and do or act in the client’s best interest.’

Greenberg and Leonard, both based out of Chicago, told the outlet they wish Kelly ‘nothing but the greatest success’ in their withdrawal from the case, as they said Farinella and Becker are inexperienced in federal crime cases.

In their request to withdraw from Kelly’s team to U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly, Greenberg and Leonard said they were ‘willing to (serve) as effective stand-by counsel,’ according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Fast-approaching: The shake-up comes about two months before the singer’s federal trial is set to commence in New York with a start date of August 9

The 54-year-old singer is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, racketeering, forced labor and bribery. He was snapped in 2019 in Chicago in connection with an ongoing sexual abuse case in Illinois 

They added they felt it was ‘impossible … for us to be able to continue to properly represent Mr. Kelly under the current circumstances.’

Farinella and Becker told the outlet in response, ‘The only comment we have at this time is that Mr. Kelly terminated both lawyers prior to filing their motion.’

Greenberg told the newspaper that Kelly, who is in custody at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center, refused to see him and Leonard to speak about the case.

R. Kelly has made multiple attempts to be given a bail amount amid the coronavirus pandemic but has been declined

The issue was expected to be addressed in a Wednesday status hearing, according to the paper.

Greenberg is also linked to an ongoing sexual abuse case in Illinois, and is expected to leave that case as well, according to the TMZ report.

R. Kelly has made multiple attempts to be given a bail amount amid the coronavirus pandemic, but has been declined.