A$AP Rocky entered a not guilty plea to an assault charge as his trial began Tuesday in Sweden.
The American rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been in custody since July 3 as authorities investigate a fight he was allegedly involved in on June 30 before appearing at a music festival in Stockholm.
WATCH: ‘This is what he’s been waiting for since day one’: A$AP Rocky’s lawyer – Aug. 1.
If convicted, the Sundress rapper could face up to two years in prison.
READ MORE: A$AP Rocky fan arrested after allegedly threatening to ‘blow up’ Swedish embassy
Lawyers for both sides were in court on Tuesday to present their narrative of what happened on the night of the street fight. Testimonies are expected to take place on Thursday.
Swedish public prosecutor Daniel Suneson read out the charges against A$AP Rocky and two other men in his entourage on Tuesday.
Suneson told court the accused assaulted the victim by kicking and beating him with either a whole or part of a glass bottle while he lay on the ground.
WATCH: Lawyer for A$AP Rocky says they’re ‘very sad’ over assault charge, maintains innocence
Swedish prosecutors allege A$AP Rocky and the two other suspects, Bladimir Corniel and David Rispers, “deliberately, together and in agreement” attacked 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari on June 30.
WATCH: Trump slams Swedish PM for not intervening in A$AP Rocky case
The Peso rapper’s lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, maintains his client did not commit any crime.
Videos published on social media appear to show a person being violently thrown onto the ground by A$AP Rocky, 30. The rapper asserts he threw the victim to the ground and stepped on his arm in self-defence.
“Please bear in mind that A$AP Rocky is an international, very well-known artist,” Jovicic said. He added that his client is used to being approached in the street by fans but that these men were “deeply provoking” the rapper and he acted out of fear of his safety.
The two men in the rapper’s entourage, Corniel and Rispers, also deny any wrongdoing.
READ MORE: A$AP Rocky charged with assault in Sweden following brawl
The prosecution asked for 139,700 Swedish krona ($19,246) in damages.
The rapper’s mother, Renee Black, was seen arriving at court. Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that Black appeared “like she was about to burst into tears.”
A$AP Rocky’s trial was being held in a secure courtroom “because of strong interest from the media and the public,” according to the Hollywood Reporter. No photographs or filming are allowed during the proceedings.
WATCH BELOW: A$AP Rocky’s mother, lawyer arrive at Swedish court
READ MORE: Following A$AP Rocky arrest, other U.S. rappers boycott Sweden
In photos of the crime scene shown in court, a broken glass bottle was visible on the street where the fight took place, and fragments of what appeared to be the same bottle could be seen stuck in the rapper’s sweater.
Suneson said police had not found any fingerprints or DNA on the bottle.
A$AP Rocky’s lawyer Jovicic argued the bottle was broken behind the rapper’s back as he was “occupied with throwing” Jafari to the ground.
Jovicic also claims glass from the bottle could have been stuck in his client’s shoes, which may have inadvertently cut or scratched the victim.
The rapper’s lawyer also referred to transcriptions from the video footage in which A$AP Rocky can be heard saying: “Listen, listen. We don’t wanna fight you all. We’re not trying to go to jail.”
READ MORE: A$AP Rocky detained in Sweden for 2 more weeks
In the Goldie rapper’s videos, two young men can be seen following A$AP Rocky and his entourage even after his security tells them to leave.
On Instagram, he described the people following him as “drug addicts” who “are not my fans.”
In the video, the rapper repeatedly tells the pair of young men that he does not want to fight them.
“We don’t wanna fight y’all, we not trying to go to jail. … It’s OK, bro, chill,” A$AP Rocky can be heard saying in the video.
(WARNING: The video below contains explicit language.)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzax42UnxN0/?utm_source=ig_embed
At one point in the video, one of the men following A$AP Rocky appears to hit the rapper’s security guard with a large pair of headphones.
“Hits security in face with headphones then follow us,” A$AP Rocky wrote.
(WARNING: The video below contains explicit language.)
READ MORE: A$AP Rocky arrested in Sweden after altercation on Stockholm street
U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven about A$AP Rocky and “offered to personally vouch for his bail,” something that is not available under Swedish law.
Urged on by the first lady and celebrities, including Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Trump said in a tweet that he would intervene to try to free the Wild for the Night rapper.
WATCH: Trump, Melania says they are working on release of A$AP Rocky from Sweden
Löfven’s press secretary, Toni Eriksson, later said the two leaders had a “friendly and respectful” conversation in which Löfven “made certain to emphasize the complete independence of the Swedish judicial system, prosecutors and courts” and stressed the government cannot and will not attempt to influence the legal proceedings.
On July 25, Trump lashed out at Sweden after A$AP Rocky was charged with assault over the fight in Stockholm.
Trump reacted on Twitter, saying he is “very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven,” whom he personally lobbied, “for being unable to act.”
WATCH: Trump slams Swedish PM for not intervening in A$AP Rocky case
Trump called on Sweden to “Treat Americans fairly!” and “Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM,” adding: “We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around.”
He’s also used the popular hashtag ”#FreeRocky.”
— With files from the Associated Press
Comments