CNN Reports that rapper A$AP Rocky has been found guilty of assault and was handed a conditional sentence after a street fight in Stockholm.
#ASAPRocky has been given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay damages to the victim
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) August 14, 2019
The 30-year-old, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, along with two members of his entourage were convicted by a Swedish court on Wednesday, following a confrontation that took place in the Swedish capital on June 30.
Stockholm District Court said in its ruling that Rocky’s claim of self-defense had been rejected.
“The defendants have claimed that they acted in self-defense. Based on statements from two witnesses, the court finds that the defendants were not subject to a current or imminent criminal attack. Therefore, they were not in a situation where they were entitled to use violence in self-defense. Nor could they have perceived themselves to be in such a situation.”
Swedish public prosecutor Daniel Suneson had argued during the trial that the artist and the two other men — David Rispers and Bladimir Corniel — assaulted the victim by kicking and beating him with a whole or part of a glass bottle while he lay on the ground.
Rocky was released by Swedish authorities at the conclusion of the trial on August 2 and quickly left the country shortly afterward—he was not required to appear in court for Wednesday’s ruling.
The incident had fans and peers alike upset and some even torn when past comments made by the rapper in regards to social injustice and black lives matter resurfaced.
President Donald Trump even intervened, demanding the rapper’s release, raising the issue with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.
In response, Löfven’s spokesperson Mikael Lindström said in a statement to CNN at the time that “the Government is not allowed, and will not attempt, to influence the legal proceedings, which are now ongoing.”
Swedish officials repeatedly stressed that the country’s judiciary is “completely independent” and “does not take into consideration outside pressure from politicians or others.”
While Rocky will spend no jail time after having already spent a month in a Swedish detention center, he is ordered to pay a fine to the victim.
The determined damages to be paid come out to SEK 12,500 (approximately $1303).
