Stockholm - US rapper A$AP Rocky will
give testimony in a Swedish court on Thursday on the second day
of his assault trial after he and two of his entourage were
accused of punching and kicking a teenager.
On day one of the trial on Tuesday, the 30-year-old
performer, producer and model, whose real name is Rakim Mayers,
pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault causing actual bodily
harm. His lawyer told the court he acted in self-defence.
Mayers was detained on July 3 in connection with a brawl
outside a hamburger restaurant in Stockholm on June 30 and later
charged with assault.
Before Thursday's session began, Mayers entered the court
room in handcuffs, wearing the Swedish Prison and Probation
Service's green clothes and with his hair in a ponytail.
Mayers' mother was, as on Tuesday, in the court room,
wearing an A$AP Rocky shirt.
On Tuesday, prosecutor Daniel Suneson showed video from
security cameras and witnesses' mobile phones and said following
an altercation Mayers threw 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari to the
ground, after which he and two of his entourage kicked and
punched him.
The prosecutor said a bottle was used to hit Jafari, who
suffered cuts and bruises.
Jafari on Tuesday told the court he was pushed and grabbed
by the neck by Mayers' bodyguard outside the restaurant and
followed the rapper's group to get back his headphones. He said
he was then hit on the head with a bottle and kicked and punched
while on the ground.
Jafari will continue his testimony on Thursday, after which
Mayers will take the stand.
Mayers' and the other two defendant's lawyers began the day
in court by contesting Jafari's 140,000 Swedish crown ($14,500)
damages claim.
The case has drawn huge media attention, forcing the trial
to be moved to a secure courtroom.
Celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Rod Stewart, have
leaped to Mayers' defence and U.S. President Donald Trump asked
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to help free Mayers.
Sweden's judiciary is independent of the political system
and Lofven has said he will not influence the rapper's case.
Mayers, best known for his song "Praise the Lord", was in
Stockholm for a concert. He has cancelled several shows across
Europe due to his detention.
The trial is scheduled to end on Friday. The court will then
announce a date for the verdict and say whether Mayers must
remain in custody until then.
If convicted, the accused could face up to two years in
jail.