After a three-day trial in Sweden, American rapper A$AP Rocky has been released from police custody as he and two others await the full verdict on August 14. A$AP Rocky was arrested in Stockholm in early July and was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm following a street brawl.
ASAP Rocky’s lawyer gave his final reflections. Says “this is a day in court like all others” and he considers his client to be Rakim Mayers (the rapper’s real name). Seems like he’s trying to get across that he has treated the case like any other assault case.
ASAP Rocky’s lawyer says there’s been a “circus” around this case, and he and his colleagues will continue doing their job next week, just with less attention.
ASAP Rocky’s lawyer has brought a prop with him into court for his closing statements, a green bottle, which he has put on the judge’s desk. Remember, bottles are at the center of this case. ASAP’s team admit picking them up, but not using them to attack the alleged victim.
The alleged victim’s lawyer argued that the assault was carried out with “consensus”. But ASAP Rocky’s lawyer says that the prosecution has failed to prove that there was any kind of coordinated crime plan.
ASAP Rocky’s lawyer says the US rapper decided on his own “whim” to get into a fight with the alleged victim and is showing video evidence in court to try and make his point. He’s arguing hard that this wasn’t a pre-meditated group assault.
ASAP Rocky argues that the rapper could not see his crew when he pinned the alleged victim to the ground, and pulled back when the others showed up.
Based on similar crimes in Sweden in recent years, the prosecution is calling for a sentence of 6 – 10 months in jail for ASAP Rocky.
This morning a female witness said she had seen ASAP Rocky hit the alleged victim after the period of time caught on various video evidence. The rapper’s lawyer has questioned if her memory can be trusted, 20 days after the fight.
ASAP Rocky’s lawyer showing photo of same brand of bottle prosecution claims was used in fight. It’s a full-size cava bottle. He asks court to consider the damage it could do to someone (suggesting alleged victim’s injuries would be more serious if such a bottle had been used)
The defense has argued that texts from ASAP Rocky’s assistant imply that bottles were used in the fight. But the rapper’s lawyer says these can’t be used as evidence, since the woman was not called as a witness to explain the messages.
Lawyers for the second and third suspects also accused of assault are now making their closing arguments. Then we will hear from the judge about what happens next. It’s a long day for everyone connected to this case ASAP Rocky.
ASAP Rocky judge says verdict will be announced on 14 August 2019. The suspects DO NOT need to remain in custody until then.
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