The 30-year-old rapper, né Rakim Mayers, has been in custody since July 2, after he was arrested in Stockholm following a street altercation involving a 19-year-old man named Mustafa Jafari.
“Things got a little weird. We thought that the behavior of these guys was strange, it got a bit scary,” A$AP Rocky told the court, adding that he suspected at the time that Jafari and his friend were on drugs, the outlet reported.
“After a while, my security guard started pushing him (victim) away,begging him to leave, go from there,” A$AP Rocky added, according to the Associated Press. “Me and my crew told them that, listen, don’t go where we are going, go the other way, we don’t want any trouble.”
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“At this point we are really scared. I saw my security guard being cut, bleeding. We didn’t know what to expect with these strangers — I’m not from Sweden, so it was really scary,” he said, according to CNN.
“I wanted to go straight to the hotel for safety. I didn’t want this to happen,” he added.
While in court, A$AP Rocky stressed that he hopes his name will be cleared of all charges.
“I have spent a month in Sweden. This is my fifth or sixth time here. I have seen the most beautiful architecture. And the not so nice things,” he said, according toUSA Todayreporter Kim Hjelmgaard.
“What I want is justice. I want my name to be cleared. Justice for all of us,” he added.
During the first day of the trial, Stockholm public prosecutor Daniel Suneson showed the courtroom footage of the incident, which occurred on June 30.
He alleged that the rapper threw Jafari on the ground before he and the two members of his crew beat him while he was down,NBC NewsandCBS Newsreported.
Jafari went on to allege that he was also hit over the back with a bottle, however, the defense said there is no evidence to prove that happened, according to NBC News.
A$AP Rocky has spent nearly a month in prison since his arrest last month. His case has gained national attention withPresident Donald Trumppreviously announcing his plans to call the prime minister of Sweden to help release him from jail.
Trump has also sent Presidential Hostage Affairs Envoy Robert C. O’Brien to Sweden to attend the rapper’s trial.
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Two other members of Rocky’s entourage, who are also facing assault charges, pleaded not guilty. If convicted, Rocky and his entourage could face two years in jail.
Speaking to PEOPLE from his office in Stockholm on July 25, Suneson said, “Assault causing actual bodily harm can give up to two years of imprisonment. In this case, it’s not going to be on that level, however.”
Rocky’s lawyer Slobodan Jovicic stressed to the court on Tuesday that his client did not commit any crimes and explained he was only acting in self-defense,CNNreported.
“Please bear in mind that A$AP Rocky is an international, very well-known artist,” Jovicic told the court, according to CNN. He added that Rocky is used to being approached, but in this case, he acted out of fear.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Friday.
source: people.com
