American rapper A$AP Rocky has been charged with assault after a confrontation in Stockholm in June, prosecutors said.
The 30-year-old — whose real name is Rakim Mayers — has been in custody since July 3, following a confrontation in the Swedish capital on June 30.
The rapper’s lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, has maintained he was defending himself after being assaulted and that his client is innocent.
Two other individuals have also been charged for their involvement in the brawl, Swedish public prosecutor Daniel Suneson said in a statement. All will remain in custody until the trial.
Suneson said that he had determined the events constituted a crime “despite claims of self-defense and provocation” after reviewing video material and witness statements.
“It is worth noting that I have had access to a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet. In addition to video material, the injured party’s statements have been supported by witness statements,” Suneson said.
Videos posted by TMZ and others posted by the rapper of the brawl have been at the heart of the investigation.
Celebrities including Justin Bieber and US President Donald Trump have also called for A$AP Rocky’s release, but authorities in Sweden say they will not be swayed by international pressure.
“The Swedish judicial system is completely independent and does not take into consideration outside pressure from politicians or others,” a spokesman for the Swedish prosecution authority told CNN on Sunday.
And, while Trump has offered to personally vouch for the 30-year-old rapper’s bail, the bail system does not exist in Sweden.
As Dennis Martinsson, a legal expert in Sweden, told CNN: “If you know the Swedish legal system you know that there is no bail system.”
“Actually, the Swedish constitution prevents any minister, even the Prime Minister, getting involved, or even saying something about an individual case,” he added.
Source: cnn
