A$AP Rocky’s Verdict Is Due Today After Being Held In A Swedish Jail For Weeks
Rap star A$AP Rocky is finally getting a verdict today after being held in a Swedish jail for around a month, as reported by The Daily Mail. The musician was first arrested after getting into an altercation with a man who allegedly kept harassing the star. If found guilty of assault, he could face up to two years in prison.
The rapper arrived in Stockholm District Court wearing a dark suit, eschewing the prison attire he had previously worn. However, the judge opened the session by saying that the verdict could take up to a week to decide, meaning only more jail time for the 30-year-old. He is being held as the star is considered by Sweden to be a flight risk.
The final court session included testimony from two witnesses of the fight, as well as testimony from a friend of A$AP Rocky’s accuser.
The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has said that he acted in self-defense. He is pleading not guilty of the charges. A$AP Rocky testified that the accuser had consistently harassed the famous star to the point that he felt “scared.” He also said that he only threw the plaintiff to the ground after the plaintiff had attacked his bodyguard.
Meanwhile, the plaintiff has claimed that A$AP Rocky and his team attacked him after the former fan approached them about a pair of headphones that had been broken in a previous scuffle with the group.
In video obtained by TMZ, A$AP Rocky can be seen asking his accuser several times to leave him and his entourage alone. The prosecution has maintained, however, that the videos were highly edited. The videos also show Mayers beating the plaintiff.
“I have spent a month in Sweden. This is my 5th or 6th time here. I have seen the most beautiful architecture. And the not-so-nice things… what I want is justice. I want my name to be cleared. Justice for all of us,” A$AP Rocky told the court in his testimony, per TMZ.
The trial has even caught the attention of President Donald Trump, who tweeted his support for the musician, called the Swedish prime minister, and even sent America’s top hostage negotiator to Sweden (via Vox).
“Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act,” Trump wrote in a tweet. “Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States. I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly! #FreeRocky.”
Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM. We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem! #FreeRocky
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019
Meanwhile, an online petition in support of the rapper trended on Twitter under the hashtag #JusticeForRocky and has gotten over 640,000 signatures.
