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A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers,
and two members of his entourage were found guilty of kicking
and beating 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari after an argument. But
the court said allegations they hit him with a glass bottle,
which might have brought a tougher sentence, were not proven.
"In an overall assessment, the court finds that the assault has
not been of such a serious nature that a prison sentence must be
chosen," Senior Judge Per Lennerbrant told a courtroom packed
with reporters.
In a comment posted on Instagram, Mayers said he was
disappointed with the verdict and that it had been a difficult
time.
"Imma keep moving forward," he said. "Thank you to my team, my
management, attorneys, label and everyone who advocated for
justice."
The rapper, who shot to fame with his 2011 debut "Live.Love.A$AP",
was not court for the verdict. He was released on Aug. 2 after
31 days in jail and a three-day trial, in what legal experts
said at the time was a sign the judge was likely not to jail him
further.
The court said the fact that the defendants had no prior
convictions over the past five years and had already spent time
in custody awaiting trial meant they would not serve further
time in prison or pay any fine.
Prosecutor Daniel Suneson told Reuters he had not yet decided
whether he would appeal any part of the verdict.
"The court has been of the same view as myself, with one big
exception, which is whether or not a blow was dealt with a glass
bottle," he said. "Beyond that I feel the court made an accurate
assessment."
Slobodan Jovicic, Mayers' Swedish lawyer, told reporters that
despite the verdict, the court had ruled in favour of his client
regarding some aspects of the case.
"We didn't succeed all the way but on the other hand we got many
points proven," he said, adding that he had contacted his client
about the verdict via text message and would speak to him later
on Wednesday.
SELF-DEFENCE
The case drew global attention, particularly after Trump offered
to vouch for the rapper's bail and asked Swedish Prime Minister
Stefan Lofven to help free him. Sweden does not have a bail
system and Lofven pointed to Sweden's independent judiciary
saying he could not intervene.
Trump tweeted messages saying he was disappointed in Lofven and
demanding: "Treat Americans fairly!"
Other celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Rod Stewart, had
also spoken out in support of the rapper.
During the trial, both the defence and prosecution made liberal
use of video taken on mobile phones during the altercation. The
prosecution said that after an argument, Mayers threw Jafari to
the ground, after which he and the two others kicked and punched
the teenager.
Mayers said he acted in self defence after the teenager attacked
his bodyguard.
The court said it had been proven that the artist and two of his
party had hit and kicked the plaintiff as he lay on the ground,
and discounted their claims of self-defence.
Mayers, best known for his song "Praise the Lord", had been in
Stockholm for a concert at the time of the fight. He had to
cancel several shows across Europe due to his detention.
He is due in neighbouring Finland on August 16 to play the
Blockfest festival in Tampere.
(Reporting by Johan Ahlander, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson in
Stockholm and Anna Ringstrom in Uppsala; Editing by Andrew
Cawthorne, Alison Williams and Toby Chopra)
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