A$AP Rocky pleaded not guilty to assault charges in Sweden during his opening trial date in Stockholm, Sweden on Tuesday. The rapper and two other individuals have been charged with assault for allegedly throwing a man, 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari, across a street during an altercation in Stockholm last month.
The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, appeared in court wearing dark green clothing. Through his attorney, Slobodon Jovicic, Mayers claimed he acted in self-defense.
Mayers’ detention — he has been in Swedish custody since July 3rd — has brought high-profile attention from both fans and celebrities, with President Trump getting involved after Kim Kardashian and Kanye West reached out to the White House on Mayers’ behalf. Trump said via Twitter that he reached out to Prime Minister Stefan Löfven to vouch for the rapper and shortly after the charges were filed, the president criticized the Prime Minister. A spokesperson for the Swedish government rebuked Trump’s criticism, saying the country does not want politics to interfere with a judicial hearing.
On Tuesday, Swedish news agency TT reported Trump had sent U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Ambassador Robert O’Brien, to Stockholm to attend and monitor the trial as well as show support for the rapper, Associated Press reports. Mayers’ mother, Renee Black, was also in attendance.
“Ambassador O’Brien is traveling at the request of the White House,” a State Department spokesperson told AP. “One of the most important tasks of the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to U.S. citizens who are detained abroad.”
On Tuesday, Prosecutor Daniel Suneson presented several videos, which allegedly showed parts of the incident, photos of the wounds Jafari claims were inflicted during the incident as well as text messages allegedly sent between people in Mayers’ entourage. Jovicic said that Mayers and his group feared that Jafari would seriously hurt them, citing that he allegedly followed them and they claimed he had also displayed signs of violence. The trial is scheduled to continue on Thursday and could run through Friday.
Additional reporting by Jonatan Loxdal
