Us rapper aap rocky pleads self defence at assault trial
You're referring to the high-profile trial of A$AP Rocky, the American rapper, who is facing charges of assault in Sweden.
On August 14, 2019, A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was arrested in Stockholm, Sweden, after a street fight broke out between him and a group of men. The incident occurred on June 30, 2019, and was captured on video.
A$AP Rocky has maintained that he acted in self-defense during the altercation, which allegedly began when the group of men followed him and his entourage, including two other men, out of a restaurant. The rapper claimed that he and his friends were attacked by the group, and that he was forced to defend himself.
On August 1, 2020, A$AP Rocky's trial began in Stockholm District Court. The prosecution presented its case, calling several witnesses, including the alleged victim, Mustafa Jafari, who claimed that A$AP Rocky and his friends attacked him and his friend, Hassan Hussein Kamel, without provocation.
However, A$AP Rocky's defense team presented its own case, calling witnesses who testified that the rapper and his friends were indeed attacked by the group of men. The defense also presented video evidence that showed the alleged victim and his friend following A$AP Rocky and his entourage out of the restaurant and into the street.
On August 14, 2020, the court delivered its verdict: A$AP Rocky was found guilty of assault, but given a suspended sentence, meaning he would not serve any time in prison. The court ruled that while A$AP Rocky and his friends had indeed been attacked, they had not acted in proportion to the situation, and that A$AP Rocky had used excessive force.
The verdict was met with widespread criticism from A$AP Rocky's fans and supporters, who argued that the rapper had been unfairly targeted and that the Swedish justice system was biased against him. The case sparked a heated debate about racism and cultural differences, with some arguing that A$AP Rocky was a victim of racial profiling and others claiming that he had brought the situation upon himself.
In the end, A$AP Rocky was released from custody and returned to the United States, where he was greeted as a hero by his fans. The case remains a controversial and highly publicized one, with many still debating the merits of the verdict and the treatment of A$AP Rocky by the Swedish authorities.