ASAP Rocky attends Rihanna’s 4th Annual Diamond Ball at Cipriani Wall Street in New York September 13, 2018. — AFP pic
STOCKHOLM, Aug 27 — A Swedish prosecutor said today he would not push for a tougher punishment for US rapper A$AP Rocky who got a suspended sentence for his role in a brawl in Stockholm.
A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers, and two of his entourage, were convicted on August 14 of kicking and beating a 19-year-old man after an argument.
They were allowed to fly home without serving a jail sentence — an outcome cheered by US President Donald Trump who had asked Sweden’s prime minister to intervene in the case.
“I believe the act should have resulted in a somewhat harsher punishment ... but I have decided nevertheless after due consideration not to appeal the verdict,” prosecutor Daniel Suneson said in a statement.
Mayers, who told the court he acted in self-defence during the confrontation in June, was held in detention for a month before the trial.
Trump had asked Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to help free the rapper and offered to post his bail. Sweden does not have a bail system and Lofven said he could not influence Sweden’s independent judiciary.
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. — Reuters