A$AP Rocky testifies in second day of Sweden assault trial, says he tried to avoid fight
STOCKHOLM — American rapper A$AP Rocky testified Thursday at his assault trial in Sweden that he did everything possible to avoid a confrontation with two men he said were persistently following his entourage in Stockholm, but one of those men picked a fight with one of his bodyguards.
Rocky's defense lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, spent the morning trying to portray the plaintiff's actions and motivations in the lead up to the fight as "threatening" and "provoking."
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is accused along with two other men believed to be members of his entourage of beating a 19-year-old man, Mustafa Jafari, in Stockholm on June 30.
The rapper, 30, pleaded not guilty at the start of the trial Tuesday, saying he acted in self-defense.
#ASAPRocky’s defense lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, has spent the morning trying to portray the plaintiff’s (Mustafa Jafari) actions/motivations in the lead up the fight as “threatening” and “provoking.” The trial is scheduled to conclude Friday, though we may not get a verdict then
— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) August 1, 2019
Mayers on Thursday told Stockholm District Court that Jafari and his friend refused to leave the entourage alone despite several appeals and claimed the two appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
Jafafi, who is from Afghanistan, has a prior drug conviction.
We’re back from a break and a lawyer for David Rispers, Jr., one of the accused in this assault case, is asking the plaintiff if he drank alcohol/took drugs around the time of the alleged #ASAPRocky incident. Mustafa Jafari, who is from Afghanistan, has a prior drugs conviction
— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) August 1, 2019
He said the situation became tense after Jafari got into an argument with one of Mayers' bodyguards near a fast-food restaurant where the rapper's entourage was downloading an app to use electric scooters, which are widely available in Stockholm.
"After a while, my security guard started pushing him away, begging him to leave," said Mayers, who appeared in court wearing an all-green inmate uniform. He testified that he and his entourage just wanted to "de-escalate" the situation.
"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,'" Mayers said. But he said Jafari just wouldn't go away.
"I assumed that these guys were under the influence of some kind of drug," Mayers told the court.
President Trump blasts Sweden after rapper A$AP Rocky is charged with assault over fight
A full-scale fight ensued shortly afterward at a nearby side street, and prosecutors allege that Mayers and the two other suspects beat and kicked Jafari while he was on the ground. They said Jafari was hit with parts of or a whole bottle.
Some questioning now from prosecutors about #ASAPRocky’s phone, where it is, and what footage it may have, including whether there are different versions of the video that’s not been seen of that night
— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) August 1, 2019
Jafari had told police earlier that he got angry as his headphones were broken during the initial argument with the bodyguard.
"When he (bodyguard) pushed me, I was both offended and surprised," Jafari testified at court Thursday. "I followed them and said I was going to call the police ... since he had broken my headphones."
Jafari, #ASAPRocky says, was insistent that he wanted his headphones. The musician’s reply: “You just broke them on my security guard. We don’t have them”
— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) August 1, 2019
Jovicic asked Jafari whether he thought the rapper's entourage acted the way the did out of fear.
"Four or five people afraid of me, who's not even half of their body size?" Jafari replied.
Despite being asked several times, it was not clear why Jafari wanted to contact Mayers' entourage in the first place.
Mayers said his bodyguard knows he has to protect Mayers at all costs, but that he isn't a naturally violent person.
Jafari told the court his memory of the events that night was confused because of blows he received to his head during the brawl.
The trial has created a stir in U.S.-Swedish diplomatic relations after President Donald Trump weighed in to support the Grammy-nominated recording artist.
The case has also drawn the attention of American celebrities and Mayers' fellow recording artists, including Sean "Diddy" Combs and Justin Bieber. A social media campaign has been pressing for his release #JusticeForRocky.
Trump has spoken with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on the phone, offering to personally guarantee A$AP Rocky's bail, but the Swedish leader said he couldn't interfere in a legal case.
Sweden doesn't have a bail system, and Mayers has stayed behind bars despite Trump's intervention. Trump has sent Ambassador Robert O. Brien, the U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, to Sweden to monitor the court proceedings.
O'Brien tells USA TODAY it is "entirely appropriate" for him to be there, despite it being a purely criminal case.
"When foreign governments hold American citizens it's always appropriate," he added.
Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, Robert O’Brien, who is in Stockholm attending the #ASAPRocky trial, tells me it is “entirely appropriate” for him to be here even though this is a purely criminal case. “When foreign govts. hold American citizens it’s always appropriate”
— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) August 1, 2019
The rapper's mother, Renee Black, and several relatives were present at the courtroom Thursday.
If convicted, Mayers faces up to two years in prison.
Contributing: The Associated Press and Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY
Keeping an eye on the #ASAPRocky trial in Stockholm today. The musician is expected to take the stand over his assault charge. Trump has taken an interest in this case. His special envoy for hostage affairs - yes, hostage affairs - is in the press gallery for a second day
— Kim Hjelmgaard (@khjelmgaard) August 1, 2019
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A$AP Rocky testifies in Sweden trial, says he tried to avoid fight