A$AP Rocky not jailed after being found guilty of Stockholm brawl

Rapper was found guilty of kicking and beating 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari after an argument

STOCKHOLM: US rapper A$AP Rocky was convicted in Sweden on Wednesday of assault over a Stockholm street brawl, but spared time in jail after a high-profile trial that had led President Donald Trump to accuse Sweden of treating him unfairly.

A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, and two members of his entourage were found guilty of kicking and beating 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari after an argument. But the court said allegations they hit him with a glass bottle, which might have brought a tougher sentence, were not proven.

“In an overall assessment, the court finds that the assault has not been of such a serious nature that a prison sentence must be chosen,” Senior Judge Per Lennerbrant told a courtroom packed with reporters.

In a comment posted on Instagram, Mayers said he was disappointed with the verdict and that it had been a difficult time.

“Imma keep moving forward,” he said. “Thank you to my team, my management, attorneys, label and everyone who advocated for justice.”

The rapper, who shot to fame with his 2011 debut Live.Love.A$AP, was not court for the verdict. He was released on Aug 2 after 31 days in jail and a three-day trial, in what legal experts said at the time was a sign the judge was likely not to jail him further.

The court said the fact that the defendants had no prior convictions over the past five years and had already spent time in custody awaiting trial meant they would not serve further time in prison or pay any fine.

Prosecutor Daniel Suneson told Reuters he had not yet decided whether he would appeal any part of the verdict.

The court has been of the same view as myself, with one big exception, which is whether or not a blow was dealt with a glass bottle,” he said. “Beyond that I feel the court made an accurate assessment.”

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