Photo Courtesy: pitchfork
SWEDEN
Rapper ASAP Rocky, who recently got arrested for suspected assault, pleaded not guilty as his trial begins in Sweden. The 30-year-old rapper, who was detained along with three others, appeared in court on Tuesday (local time), reported People.
He was put behind the bars following a street altercation charge, which involved 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari. Following this, his public prosecutor, Daniel Suneson revealed the news that Rocky will be tried for "assault causing actual bodily harm."
The other members who were involved in the matter with him also pleaded not guilty after facing assault charges.
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On the first day of the trial, his public prosecutor showed a video of the incident to the courtroom, from security cameras and witnesses' iPhones, NBC News reported.
The rapper's defence team will present their other evidence as well, as his account of the altercation on next trial. A verdict is expected to be out by Friday (local time).
If convicted, ASAP Rocky and his entourage may serve two years behind the bars.
"Assault causing actual bodily harm can give up to two years of imprisonment. In this case, it's not going to be on that level, however," Daniel Suneson said while speaking to People.
However, Rocky's lawyer Slobodan Jovicic stressed to the court that his client was only acting in defence and has not committed any crime, as per CNN reports.
"Please bear in mind that A$AP Rocky is an international, very well-known artist," Jovicic told the court. He also added that Rocky is used to being approached, but in this case, he acted out of fear.
The 'Sundress' singer opened up about his arrest with fans on social media and showed how he and his entourage were approached by two young men on the street when an argument between the two groups took place.
Thereafter, a person from the rapper's group, whom he later identified as his bodyguard, can be heard telling the two men to "go that way, you following us" and then another person can be heard saying, "Nobody wants to fight with you bro."
Rocky explained the whole matter in the caption of the video that he wrote on Instagram. "So a few drug addicts are not my fans. We don't know these guys and we didn't want trouble, they followed us for 4 blocks, and they were slapping girls butts who passed, give me a break," he claimed.
The rapper has now spent nearly a month behind the bars since his arrest on July 2. His matter has gained national attention, soon after President Donald Trump announcement of calling the prime minister of Sweden to help release Rocky from jail. President Donald Trump, took to Twitter to share the news, following a conversation with Kanye West.
"Just spoke to KanyeWest about his friend A$AP Rocky's incarceration. I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved," he tweeted on Friday.
