A$AP Rocky found guilty of assault in Sweden
Per NBC News, Rakim “A$AP Rocky” Mayers was found guilty of assault Wednesday by a Swedish court, but will not have to serve additional jail time. The rapper was not present for the verdict.
Rocky was arrested in Stockholm in July after he and two members of his entourage (whom were also found guilty) got into a physical altercation with two men, include a 19-year-old man named Mustafa Jafari. Rocky and his entourage accused Jafari and the other man involved of harassment. Most of the interaction was caught on tape by various sources, including Rocky, who documented the altercation and their attempt to walk away from the men for Instagram. Rocky and the two others accused pleaded guilty to the assault charge, citing self defense. The judge ultimately did not agree with the self defense claim, believing that “the defendants were not subject to a current or imminent criminal attack,” per a statement. However, the prosecution failed to prove parts of the victim’s account of events, including a claim that the accused hit him with a bottle.
In the end, the court determined that the assault was not “of such a serious nature” to justify additional jail time and handed Rocky a suspended sentence and an order to pay 12,500 kronas in damages to the victim. The fine amounts to approximated $1,300. The rapper was released from custody earlier this month pending the verdict of the trial and granted permission to leave the country and perform in Anaheim, California.