Breaking: A$AP Rocky has been released from custody, awaiting the verdict on August 14th. Scroll down for the latest developments.
The third day of A$AP Rocky's assault trial has begun. Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers, has been held in detention in Stockholm, Sweden since July 3. He has pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault charges on the grounds of self-defense.
Yesterday, Rocky gave testimony claiming that the situation got "scary" for him and his entourage and that they were trying to deescalate the situation. The plaintiff Mustafa Jafari, 19, accuses Rocky, 30, and his entourage of deliberately attacking him.
In collaboration with DOPEST.se, Highsnobiety is on the ground in the courtroom. Scroll down for live updates from the trial as they come through.
Glossary of who is involved
A$AP Rocky Lawyer: Slobodan Jovicic
A$AP Rocky's cousin's lawyer: Carla Pantzar
A$AP Rocky's Friend and photographer’s lawyer: Martin Persson
The alleged victim: The plaintiff
The plaintiff's lawyer: Magnus Stromberg
Prosecutor: Daniel Suneson
The plaintiff's friend: Witness 3
Girl who filmed video clip: Witness 2
Girl present at alleged attack: Witness 1
19:22: The family is completely overjoyed and they hug the lawyers.
19:20: Big cheers from the audience. Cries are heard from the stand. Rocky is overjoyed. They all hug each other.
19:19: A$AP Rocky and the two suspects are no longer in custody.
19:19: The verdict in the case will be announced 14 August 2019 at 14:00.
19:19: Everyone is back in the courtroom.
18:16: The decision on the verdict will come at the earliest in 1 hour, says the chairman and ends the main hearing.
18:15: The prosecutor wants to adjust his statement of the criminal act as charged. The chairman says we now have the final speeches.
18:12: Rocky’s cousin’s lawyer ends by saying that you see on the video that the bodyguard breaks up the fight and that it cannot have continued afterwards. She wants her client acquitted and set free.
18:11: The plaintiff grins as she reads this.
18:10: Rocky’s cousin’s lawyer says her client did not understand why the plaintiff was so aggressive and thought he was armed. She says his blow was in proportion to the threat.
18:05: Now Rocky’s cousin’s lawyer is discussing the plaintiff’s claim (40 000kr, approximately $4100). She thinks damages are too high. According to her, the damages are "alarming". He doesn't answer any questions about his job, he gives no salary specification or answers to where he works.
18:05: Rocky’s cousin’s lawyer is discussing the plaintiff’s claim (40 000kr). She thinks damages are too high.
18:03: Rocky’s cousin’s lawyer says that the friend of the 19-year-old has a greater motive to leave the place than to help his friend and that should be a warning sign.
18:02: Rocky’s cousin’s lawyer talks about the bodyguard and says since he has no police powers, it's no wonder his friends come to the rescue. "The bodyguard may work as a bodyguard, but he is also a human being"
17:57: Rocky's cousin's lawyer continues and claims that the plaintiff is lying and says that the only time he doesn't lie is when he chooses not to answer questions.
17:56: Rocky's cousin's lawyer mentions that the security guard warned the plaintiff several times. She says that the subject is honor-related and that he gives no reason to why Rocky and his friends attacked him.
17:53: Carla Pantzar, A$AP Rocky's cousin's lawyer is now taking over
17:51: Rocky's friend and photographer’s lawyer believes that the detention should be lifted as his client isn't a flight risk. He finishes his pleading.
17:47: Rocky's friend and photographer’s lawyer wants his client freed. And that the penalty value corresponds to the time he was detained. "If you consider that it has a higher penalty value then it should be daily fines."
17:44: Rocky's friend and photographer’s lawyer Persson says that the situation may have been perceived as Rocky and his friends being attacked by two people who may have been armed. He is holding a long argument about emergency protection.
17:41: Rocky's friend and photographer’s lawyer is interrupted by the plaintiff. He tells the interpreter that he does not understand his wording.
17:35: He says there are uncertainties about the witness and what they actually saw.
17:35: He goes on and says that the witness's testimony is exactly the same as the police, and that it has been verified. Persson believes that all three defendants are believable, but that the plaintiff has changed his story and exaggerated it.
17:33: A$AP Rocky's friend and photographer’s lawyer Magnus Persson wants his client to be sentenced for three loose kicks on the shoulder, and a loose punch to the stomach. He believes that the plaintiff's behavior constitutes 'harassment'.
17:29: A$AP Rocky's friend and photographer’s lawyer Martin Persson says that no one confirms the plaintiff's story that the attack continues as the video ends.
17:27: Rocky's lawyer also says that there is no evidence how the plaintiff received the cuts. He says that when the video is over, the attack does not continue and that most witnesses testify to that.
17:24: Rocky's lawyer says that it can’t be proved that someone was holding a bottle.
17:20: The bottle is being sent around. Rocky's lawyer says that such a bottle "would crack the skull bone of a person". He also says that we cannot collectively punish everyone by saying that they have done it together.
17:15: Discussions are ongoing as to whether the Prosecutor should adjust the description of the alleged attack.
17:13: Rocky's lawyer finishes his statement: "I believe that my client should be acquitted and that he should be released today." '
17:11: Rocky's lawyer says he believes that the prosecutor has ignored everything that speaks for Rocky's advantage. "The prosecutor is choosing not to see that there is a competing course of events where the injuries may have occurred," he says.
17:09: Rocky's lawyer shows another video clip, this time one from TMZ.
17:07: Rocky's lawyer says that the plaintiff's version of events is not supported in the evidence: "The problem with this version of events is not that the video clips ends. The problem is that the defendant's hands are empty and because of that, the statement is incorrect."
17:05: Rocky's lawyer asks the court to consider what it would be like to be beaten with such a large bottle in the head, suggesting that the plaintiff's injuries would have been more serious if he was hit with the bottle. "The only thing supporting the idea that the bottle hit the plaintiff on the head is the plaintiff himself."
17:02: Rocky's lawyer says the glass bottle broke before the fight. "But I do not take away the plaintiff believes that he thinks he has been hit with the bottle when everything happened so fast."
Then, he produces a picture where the bottle appears whole. He says that the bottle in the video has the same effect as the one he presented.
16:57: Rocky's lawyer brings up witness 2’s testimony. He says her story was a bit different from the first police interview. He mentions that the court hearing took place three weeks after the incident, but he points out that her memory is short-lived when they come to the incident.
16:53: Rocky's lawyer reasons that Rocky did not participate in the attack of the plaitiff when the others ran towards the plaintiff and kicked him, something that is visible in the clip. He says there is no evidence that Rocky did anything after the video clip. "Not even the plaintiff has claimed that A$AP Rocky has done anything after that," he says.
16:50: Rocky's lawyer Jovicic goes through the clip. He says the clip does not show Rocky kicking the plaintiff on the ground, only stepping on him and that Rocky stops when the others show up.
Jovicic: "He has no obligation to stop the others. He just has to show that he is not a part of it. What he says he does is that he turns around and that the plaintiff's friend stands right by him and therefore he gets involved in a fight with him.
16:45: The video clip is being played. Rocky's lawyer Jovicic: "The question is: when can one consider that this is a deed that’s done together in consensus?"
16:44: Rocky's lawyer Jovicic wants to show a video clip and says that "The devil is in the details".
16:42: Rocky's lawyer Jovicic believes that the prosecutor can not prove that it was premediated. "They haven't called each other or done anything that suggests it's coordinated."
16:41: Rocky's lawyer Jovicic discusses the prosecutor's argument that the three suspects coordinated the alleged attack. "Looking at the prosecutor's statement, you might ask if this was premeditated."
16:31: Rocky's lawyer Jovicic will show video material and is also bringing along props. One which is a bottle that he puts in front of the chairman.
Jovicic begins. Martin Persson (the lawyer of Rocky's friend and photographer) handles the emergency situation. Carla Panzar (Rocky's cousin's lawyer) will handle the indemnity and other statements.
16.30: The trial continues. It's now Rocky's defense's turn to plead.
There is a break until 16.30
16:10: The plaintiff's lawyer claims the following damages: 40,000kr ($4100). He says the plaintiff will have scars from his injuries.
16:09: The plaintiff casts his gaze downwards as he looks down at the bench. Rocky listens carefully and his lawyer leans back, listens and looks reasonably bored. Rocky looks towards the plaintiff and the plaintiff's counsel.
16:06: The plaintiff's lawyer: "I've been a lawyer for 20 years and I've never had a client who was so scared."
16:03: The plaintiff's lawyer says something has caused one witness to change the story and wants to disregard that hearing.
15:55: The plaintiff's lawyer points out that Rocky is polite and nice, and that he answered the questions well. But he questions his credibility and he says Rocky's story about the bottles have misconstrued the events.
15:53: The plaintiff's lawyer says that the medical reports show that the plaintiff received his injuries from broken glass.
"It has been extremely stressful for him to sit here and explain everything," the lawyer says. "He remembers what is essential. What he tells is backed up by evidence and videos. He has told of his injuries and, as the prosecutor noted, the injuries could not have occurred in any other way than during the attack."
15:49: The plaintiff’s lawyer: "I want to remind you that the original violence comes from the guard and that it is real violence. Sure, the plaintiff is following them, but he is the one who wants to contact the police. He is looking for a solution." He says the plaintiff's behavior is nowhere near abusive.
15:46: The plaintiff’s lawyer Magnus Strömberg's begins to present his closing statements. He agrees with the prosecutor's description of the events and wants to focus on the damages claim.
15:44: The prosecutor wants the suspects to remain in custody because of the possible flight risk. His closing statement is now finished.
15:43: According to the prosecutor, he sees no choice but to jail Rocky and the other two defendants for 6 months. He says it is too serious for them to be sentenced to community service as Rocky's lawyer wished. He wants to give Rocky a higher sentence then the other two because of the throw.
15:42: The prosecutor is calling for 6 months jail time because it is 3 against 1 and the plaintiff is on the ground during the altercation.
"What unites these judgments is that they are relatively minor injuries, but in all the judgments it's argued that there are several against one and that the defendant is on the ground."
15:40: The prosecutor brings forward five Court decisions and shows five different cases where the suspects were convicted of assault. He reads some of the various judgments set by the High Court in similar situations.
In the first case from the Göra Court, the penalty value was 8 months: Second case from the Svea High Court: 6 months. Third case from Svea High Court: 6 months Fourth case from Svea High Court: 10 months Fifth case from Svea High Court: 6 months
15:34: The prosecutor comes up with what punishment he is going to insist upon.
15:33: The prosecutor: "There is time to think about it. The conclusion is that everyone should be convicted of the attack. I have disproved their claims of emergency protection. The penalty value then? I'll show you a picture on the screen."
15:32: Prosecutor: "The dangerous throw is in addition to the emergency defense right. They are five people against two thin guys." He says there were no visible extensions/weapons either.
15:28: The prosecutor continues to put forward his arguments that it is not an emergency situation or a putative emergency situation.
15:24: The prosector addresses the most central issue — if the case is an emergency situation. He believes that the plaintiff and Witness 3 were disturbing Rocky long before the security guard used force.
Prosecutor: "I do not feel that there are five people who want to flee the place." He says the videos show how Rocky and his group have 'partial smiles'."
15:22: The prosecutor thinks that all three should be convicted of assault and that nothing they say changes the situation. He says that the evidence is sufficient.
15:21: He talks again about the assistant's (ASAP Rocky’s) texts used as evidence. He asks why she would exaggerate the incident in her own conversations.
15:20: He claims that one of the three used glass and that it is unreasonable for the defendant to have received the damage in other ways.
15:19: The plaintiff focuses on the text messages. This refers to the assistant who sent the text about the fight and that she has not testified because she's not in Sweden.
15:18: The prosecutor: "The fact that there’s been a bottle involved in some way is pretty clear since the plaintiff has received injuries to his arms." The prosecutor says there were two bottles, one carried by one of the suspects and one in A$AP Rocky's hand. However, he admits however that there are questions about how the glass caused the damage. If it was under his shoe, if he rolled in glass or if someone hit him with it.
15:15: The prosecutor: "If the district court judges what is only visible on the video, it is an abuse of a normal degree."
15:14: The prosecutor goes through the plaintiffs' injuries and thinks there is too much damage from just a ‘throw' and 'loose knocks'. Finally, he points out the lack of cuts visible in the video, which indicates that the attack continued when the video was turned off. Because when everything is over, the plaintiff has cuts on his arms.
15:13: The prosecutor says it is unreasonable that the attack would end after the video, something that one witness confirms.
15:12: Prosecutor Daniel Sunesson now goes through the video and says: "It shows well in the video what force he throws the plaintiff with. He flies in the air, you can see how he throws him like a sack. It's out of control. You see a curb in the picture and it's lucky he doesn't land worse."
15: 07: The prosecutor goes through the testimonies and thinks the two independent witnesses (the girls) "are certainly fans of A$AP Rocky". He says it is important to point out that none of them saw any violence against the bodyguard.
15:04: The prosecutor: "All three have committed violence." However, he believes Rocky should be held accountable for throwing the plaintiff. He thinks it is good that the plaintiff does not remember everything.
Prosecutor: "They are using his earlier sentence against him (the plaintiff), but that is irrelevant."
15: 00: The final part of the trial begins now: Final speech. 14:40: Now it’s time for the final speech. But first a short break of 15 min.
14:39: They all say that there are open to doing community service.
14:38: The other two in Rocky's entourage receive similar questions about what they earn and whether they have been convicted previously.
14:35: Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer) questions Rocky: "My next question. If you were to be free what would you do today?"
Rocky: "I would like to take a proper shower and hang out with my mom and family. But as I said before I am easy to deal with. I am at your disposal."
Jovicic: "Do you have any substance abuse problems?"
Rocky: "No definitely not. I'm sober and I'm proud of it."
14:34: Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer) suggests that Rocky could get community service if sentenced. The chairman asks if Rocky has been convicted any time during the past five years and he replies that he has not been convicted as far as he knows. They talk about the personal circumstances of the accused.
A$AP Rocky comments: "You know where I live, you have my lawyer's information. I have worked with charities. I wouldn't mind doing something like that during the weekends. I am at your disposal."
14:30: The plaintiff's attorney ends the hearing and has no further questions. The hearing ends.
14:27: Now it's the legal counsel's turn to ask the bodyguard questions. "When the person comes up and asks something you do not understand, why are you pointing in a certain direction?" he asks.
Bodyguard: "I point there to get him away from A$AP."
Next question: "When he comes back, did you point in another direction?"
Bodyguard: "Yes."
14.30: The plaintiff's attorney asks if the bodyguard grabbed the plaintiff by the neck.
Rocky's bodyguard: "Yes at the collar."
Plaintiff's attorney: "Not the neck?"
Rocky's bodyguard: "Not that I know of."
14:28: The plaintiff's attorney pushes to know why the bodyguard is rejecting the plaintiff so quickly. He says he didn't know what the man wanted and that he looked 'crazy'.
14:27: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "I am not from this country, secondly I do not understand his language, thirdly I do not want him near A$AP."
14:24: The Prosecutor asks Rocky's bodyguard: "You said you interrupted the guys when they fought, is that correct?"
Rocky's bodyguard: "Yes"
Prosecutor: "Why did you feel a need to separate them?"
Rocky's bodyguard: "We are not here to fight."
14:22: Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer): "If he didn't intervene would you have been able to handle the situation?"
Rocky's bodyguard: No because I don't know what they had in their hands.
Jovicic: "So, given what they had in their hands, it could turn into something different."
Bodyguard: Yes
14:20: Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer) questions who is whose bodyguard during the fight.
Rocky's bodyguard: "I am his bodyguard."
Jovicic: "How is it that Rocky gets involved then?"
Rocky's bodyguard: "Because he came to protect me at that stage. He saw that I was in numerical disadvantage
Jovicic: "How does that fit into the protocol?"
14:17: Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer): "Why didn't you just leave?" Rocky's bodyguard: "We tried, but I'm not from here, so I didn't know where we would go. They continued to follow us, they were too close."
14:15: The bodyguard tells that Rocky was trying to help. When asked if he felt comfortable with that, he replies "I don't know. I was worried."
14:13: Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer) asks the bodyguard why he did not use force after those first pushes.
Rocky's bodyguard: "It's not my job," implying that it’s his job is to protect Rocky, not to fight.
14:12: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "I had to use force to get him away from Rocky because of who he is. Rocky has a lot of money and wears jewelry, people try to come up to him all the time. Rocky has been cut and robbed before, that’s why he has a bodyguard."
14:10: The defense asks Rocky's bodyguard why he got physical and used force.
Rocky's bodyguard: "He did not leave when I told him to go. I reject many people, but this guy came back several times. I knew something was wrong I could see it on him. His friend had cuts on his nose."
The defense: "What was the purpose of using force?"
Rocky's bodyguard: "The purpose was to keep him away from the object of protection."
14:09: The defense interrogates Rocky's bodyguard and asks about his role. He says he has been a bodyguard for 15 years and that his role is to protect Rocky.
14:06: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "The girls wanted Rocky to says his name (to the plaintiff), so they would know who he was. Rocky said he wasn't going to. When Rocky talked to the girls, Witness 3 is behind him with something green in his hand. Rocky tells the girls that we don't want any trouble. Three girls show up. I don't know their nationality, but they had covered faces. They asked him (the plaintiff) 'why are you following them'. He mentions that two girls say the two men touched them on the butt but he doesn't remember if he heard it then or just saw them on film."
14:01: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "Now I am really keeping an eye on him (the plaintiff) because I don't know if what he's holding is something he can hurt me with. When I go the other way to Rocky, he still follows me. I turn once again to say 'here, what is wrong with you, stop following us'. Three girls show up wearing the hijab. They ask the plaintiff why he is following them."
14:00: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "He (the plaintiff) is still following us down the street outside MAX. At that point, I had told him 6-7 times to stop following us. When I tell him again, he mumbles something and I don't understand what he is saying. When we reach the corner I stop and turn, and he’s still there. Now I see that he has something in his hand."
13:58: The plaintiff listens carefully with one hand around his chin while looking down.
13:57: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "My group went towards me to see what was going on with this guy. I said we should just leave. We started going back down the street, we just wanted to leave. We didn't know where we were going. When we were walking outside MAX I saw that the guy was still following us. I asked him why he's still following us."
13:56: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "He (the plaintiff) took off his headphones and threw them at me. He tried to punch me in the face with them. That's when I caught him and brought him closer to my body. When he flung his headphones at me, they cut my fingers up. I have just started to heal now but I was bleeding."
13:53: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "I ask (the plaintiff) again, 'what's wrong with you? Why are you following us?' When I turn around, I'm angry because I asked him to stay away. I grab him by the shoulders and the thing is that I'm strong. When I hugged him he said something like "why you push me?". Then he swings me with a clenched fist to the face, but I backed up a bit and moved so I didn't get hit. When he realized he couldn't hit me, he became even more angry."
13:53: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "I turn to look at him, I know his friend is nearby. Rocky is still at the corner and I have to protect him. I have to make sure that the other guy does not run towards Rocky, but at the same time, I have to keep track of him (the plaintiff) because he's behaving aggressively."
13:51: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "The way he (the plaintiff) looks is like he's on some kind of drug. I turn around ask him to leave three times. Now he is very close to me, so I give him a push with open hands, lift him up a bit and ask him to leave. When I do so, he becomes aggressive."
13:49: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "Then he (the plaintiff) came back and turned up the level of harassment. I know Rocky is safe. So I take the guy away from Rocky, down the street with my body without touching him. I ask him to leave. When I turn around to go back to the person I'm protecting (Rocky), he follows me again. I ask what is wrong with him."
13:46: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "I notice that something was wrong, it is something I notice because it's my job. I'm a bodyguard, I know how to notice something like that. His friend (Witness 3) who was with him went to one of the shops. I look at him (the plaintiff) and asked what's wrong? I look into his eyes and could see that they were shiny like he was on something. In the United States when someone comes and causes troubles, and returns again it amounts to harassment and then one is allowed to take measures to protect themselves."
1:45 pm: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "We talk and talk about what to do next. I stood in front of Rocky. Then a guy comes and asks something, and I didn't understand what he was talking about. I pointed to the left and told him to go that way. After a minute and a half, he comes back and asks me something again. I didn't know what his intentions were, but I looked at him strangely because it felt like he was going to harass me."
13:43: Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "We kept walking around, looking at things. Then we arrived at a street corner where I turned right, then called Rocky's DJ and asked if he wanted to come. Jovicic (Rocky's lawyer) interrupts and asks him to tell them when they arrive at Max."We walk over to the street where Max Hamburgare is, we decided to stop walking and instead use electric scooters. The assistant tried to fix the electric scooter but it didn't work. Rocky wanted to sit down. I then stood up and block him because I didn't want anyone to know who he was."
13:42: A$AP Rocky's bodyguard testifies: "We left the hotel and walked around to see the sights. I wore a t-shirt that said "A$AP Rocky Defense". Rocky said I should change it so no one would know who he is. I went to an ice cream shop and turned the shirt inside out. We were walking around, Rocky likes to look at architecture, he gets a lot of pleasure from looking at buildings. Rocky thought it was a beautiful country," he says.
13:41: The defense begins to interview Rocky's bodyguard. First out is Rocky's lawyer Slobodan Jovicic who asks opening questions. He asks the bodyguard to recount the incident after they left the hotel that day.
13:36: The bodyguard steps into court in a black suit. The chairman asks if he is related to any of the suspects (Rocky and his friends). He answers no.
13:36: Chairman Per Lennerbrant speaks and calls in Rocky's bodyguard. Before that, he announces that he will allow the evidence the defense wanted to raise yesterday against the plaintiff regarding his previous convictions "the district court allows these judgments as evidence".
1.30pm: The trial continues after the break, A$AP Rocky's bodyguard is being questioned as a witness.
There was a break for lunch and now Rocky's bodyguard is giving evidence.
11:15: Slobodan Jovicic (A$AP Rocky Lawyer) is still trying to understand and figure out where Witness 3 is when his friend is thrown. It is still unclear.
11:13: Slobodan Jovicic takes over. He asks Witness 3 if he has any idea why Rocky threw the plaintiff to the ground. Witness 3 replies that it was about the headphones and that they talked unpleasantly to each other. The lawyer asks him to describe the throwing incident. "Where where you standing when you saw it?”.
11:11: Martin Persson, (the lawyer for Rocky's friend and photographer) takes over. Persson's questions are about the glass bottles. He asks Witness 3 how many people had glass bottles and he says three or four people, but in the interview, he said 6-7 people. His last question is how far away he is when the fight begins. "10 meters" Witness 3 replies. The lawyer says it is a deviation and that at the first hearing, Witness 3 said it was 50 meters. The lawyer asks if he has any comments and if there is a video of Witness 3 that shows he was at the scene.
11:08: Do you know the phone number to the police? asks Carla Pantzar (lawyer of A$AP Rocky's cousin). "110" he replies.
11:05: "The plaintiff says you left after the incident. A witness said she asked you to stay on the scene but you left." Witness 3 replies, "Yes that's right". He says that he had some problems, and left when the police arrived. He chooses not to answer. The lawyer also asks if he had weapons on him that day. The court says he doesn't have to answer that.
11:04: Pantzar asks if it might have been the case that his friend asked about weed. He answers no. When asked if he was under influence, he says he took 'benzo' (benzodiazepines). He says his friend was not affected. She asks if any of them were armed. He answers no.
11:00: Witness 3 says he has not met his friend or talked to him since the incident. Now it's Carla Pantzar asking the questions (lawyer of A$AP Rocky's cousin). The first question is why he doesn't remember the incident well. Witness 3 says he did not see the course of events well, he did not see who attacked. Pantzar continues to ask why his friend chose to approach the guard.
Witness 3: "Because of the headphones”
Lawyer: "Did you say the same thing to the police?"
Friend: "Yes"
The lawyer says it is an aberration and refers to the first police interview. The friend was asked why he went to the bodyguard. "We approached the bodyguard and asked if he had any weed."
10:57: When asked if he saw anyone use a bottle against the plaintiff, he replies that he saw that when his friend was lying on the ground. He says the bodyguard and Rocky used bottles. He says there were many bottles used, but that he does not remember well.
Prosecutor: "Were the bottles whole or broken?
Friend: "Whole."
10:55: The friend says he did not think Rocky and his friends were afraid, as there were 6-7 people in their group. His friend is a small guy. When the prosecutor asks if he had anything in his hands, the friend says "No". The prosecutor says that in a surveillance film, he is seen asking for water inside MAX. But that's not something he remembers.
10:50: The prosecutor asks if they did anything towards Rocky's bodyguard. Witness 2: "I did nothing"
He says he hasn't seen his friend do anything either. When asked why he thinks Rocky grabbed and threw his friend, he answers after a long pause that it was because they were arguing "a lot".
10:49: The prosecutor asks what happens before Rocky throws the plaintiff.
10:48: Witness 3 says they picked up bottles and Rocky talked to him, but he ran from there. Then he saw how Rocky threw his friend on the ground. When he went back to see his friend, he told him that Rocky's friends beat him. The plaintiff goes on to say "they beat his friend a lot"
10:44: Witness 3 talks about the incident and explains that the plaintiff said they grabbed him by the throat.
The hearing is interrupted by a phone ringing among the audience and everyone turns around. The chairman gets annoyed and asks everyone to turn off the phone.
10:41: Witness 3 says they saw the bodyguard and A$AP Rocky. When asked if he recognized them, he says he did not. The friend continues to talk about the incident and says he doesn't know what happened. That they were outside MAX, then they headed towards McDonalds. Then he went back (to MAX). Then he saw his friend (the plaintiff) getting in an argument with Rocky's bodyguard.
10:40: The hearing is interrupted because it is poorly heard. Rocky turns around, wondering what’s going on.
The chairman now wants to use the interpreter to speed up the testimony.
10:40: The prosecutor Daniel Suneson has the first word and starts asking "the friend" questions. The first question is how he knows the plaintiff. Witness 3 says that they lived together four years ago. He says that when he had an apartment they used to see each other every week. The prosecutor then starts asking about that night.
He asks what they were doing there.
The friend says they were going to McDonald's to eat food.
Prosecutor: "Do you mean the place where everything happened?"
Witness 3: "Yes".
Prosecutor: "Max?"
He then asks why they were there.
Witness 3: "We were going to MAX to eat food".
Prosecutor: "Did you have any other business there?"
Witness 3: “No”.
10:35: The chairman asks the interpreter to interpret in case of misunderstandings.
10:33: Witness 3 says he wants to do everything in Swedish.
10:31: Witness 3 enters with his hands in cuffs and with the green custody clothing, because he’s currently in custody, suspected of another crime.
10:30: The questioning of the third witnesses starts (Witness 3), this time plaintiff's friend.
10:28: Strömberg: "Do you remember if the plaintiff was hit with the bottle or no?"
Witness 2: "No."
He turns to the interview Witness 2 had with the police on July 19. During that interview, the witness says "The plaintiff was hit’’.
Witness 2: "I didn’t see it, but he said he had been hit".
Attorney: "Do you have any explanation?"
Witness 2: "It's been a month, so I don't know."
Attorney: "Can an explanation because your memory is better today then when you were questioned by the police?"
Witness 2: "Can be correct."
The testimony with Witness 2 ends there.
10:24: With this, it seems Jovicic wants to prove that Witness 2 remembers wrongly, for the reason that she earlier stated that the plaintiff's friend talked to her during the incident but on the film he was seen running away.
10:23: Witness 2's video is being played for everyone to see. Now it seems that her story does not coincide with the video being shown. The film shows the plaintiff's friend running away from the scene. But the witness says that at that moment he was talking to him. "Could it be that you remember wrongly that you talked to the plaintiff's friend just before?" asks Jovicic.
Slobodan wants to show the video clip.
10:22: Jovicic asks if she was being interrogated 20 days after the incident. She says yes. He asks her if she’s seen the recordings before that.
Witness 2: "I’ve seen them several times."
Jovicic asks if she’s talking to the friend while his friend was thrown to the ground. “Yes” she answers. Jovicic keeps asking about the guard who’s “stopping it”.
Jovicic: Do you think you had a clear oversight of the situation? How sure are you exactly that Rocky did more than the videos show?"
Witness 2: "I am sure of that he did, because it’s something that sticks with you."
Jovicic: "What is it that you’re sure of that he’s done?".
Witness 2: "I am sure that he was giving out kicks and punches. The punch may have been only one but the kickings were several."
Jovicic: "And of this you’re entirely sure? As sure as you are that the plaintiff is standing in front of you?"
Witness 2: "Yes"
10:15: Jovicic asks how old she is.
Witness 2: "I am 18, I work and hang out with friends. I’m on summer break right now."
Jovicic: "Is it common for you to be involved in fights like this?"
Witness 2: "Not like this, but I’ve seen people fight before."
Jovicic: "How did the whole situation feel?"
Witness 2: "I was in shock, I didn’t know what to do."
10:13: The attorney asks if they have any comment that the plaintiff wanted to call the police.
Witness 2: "I don't remember."
A$AP Rocky's attorney Slobodan Jovicic is now taking over and will ask the witness questions.
10:13: The prosecutor is now done so now it’s the plaintiff's attorney Magnus Strömberg's turn to ask questions. He asks if anyone was taking it upon themselves to call the police. “Yes, the plaintiff and the guard.”
10:11: The witness says that she thinks she got about three quarters of the incident. When she's asked why the fight stopped, she says “I don’t know, ask them”.
Prosecutor: "What happened with the guy laying on the ground?"
Witness 2: "He started bleeding."
10:08: The witness does not know how long they were hitting the plaintiff, but somewhere around a minute, maybe less.
Prosecutor: "Did you film everything?"
Witness 2: "I recorded that short part. You can tell that the guard is trying to stop it."
Prosecutor: "How?"
Witness 2: "When the plaintiff was on the ground, the guard ran in to stop it."
Prosecutor: "How long was the fight for?"
Witness 2: "Don’t know, perhaps a minute."
Prosecutor: "The recording is short, is there more of it?"
Witness 2: "How do you mean?"
Prosecutor: "Are there more things happening after you stopped recording?"
Witness 2: "They hit him a bit more, then they walk away and leave."
Prosecutor: "What do they do then?"
Witness 2: "They kick him and punch him"
Prosecutor: "Why is it that the recording stops?"
Witness 2:" I was filming through snapchat, I was going to send it to my friend. When you film you have to hold and press the screen."
10:07: The witness says she filmed some of the incident; the part when ASAP throws the plaintiff to the ground. After he was thrown to the ground, she saw kicks.
Prosecutor: "How many kicks did you see?"
Witness 2: "I don't remember."
Prosecutor: "Were there more than two?"
Witness 2: "Yes"
Prosecutor: "Do you know who kicked."
Witness 2: "It was Rocky and his friends. I remember Rocky hitting too."
Prosecutor: "Did you see if the hits made contact with the plaintiff?
Witness 2: "No."
Prosector: "How close were you?"
Witness 2: "A few meters."
10:03: When she is asked about the bottles, she says that she saw one of Rocky's friends with two bottles. She doesn’t know what happened with the bottles because she was too shocked when she saw Rocky throw the plaintiff to the ground. She also says that she saw broken bottles and glass smashed on the ground after it happened.
Prosecutor: "Did you see any intact bottles laying on the street?"
Witness 2: "No"
10:02: The prosecutor keeps pushing for an answer and asks if she saw someone using violence. She answers that she saw it, but knows for a fact that his friend had been doing that since she was talking to him.
10:01: Prosecutor: "What happens right before he throws him on the ground?"
Witness 2: "They were standing and talking. My friend was translating to help the guard."
Prosecutor: "Did you see any violence being used from anyone at the scene before this?"
Witness 2: "Not that I can remember."
Prosecutor: "Did you see any violence against the guard?"
Witness 2: "I don't remember."
Prosecutor: "Are you saying that you could have missed it?"
Witness 2: "Yes"
10:00: The prosecutor asks if she knew the girl who said the plaintiff was harassing them. "No," she replies. He asks what she means by "escalated". The situation went from only talking to throwing him on the ground.
Prosecutor: "What sparked it off?"
Witness 2: "I don't know, but I remember they asked to be left alone. But the guy kept repeating that he wanted his headphones."
09:58: Witness 2: "Then the situation escalated and all I see is that Rocky grabs the guy and throws him to the ground. I see how his buddies hit him on the ground. Then the plaintiff’s friend walks away. After that we called the police and the ambulance. When they arrived we left. "
09:57: Witness 2: "A girl comes over and asks if the guys have done something to me and my friends. No, I ask what do you mean? She says they had harassed her and her friend. Then I went to the plaintiff's friend and asked if it was correct, but he denied it. But the girl said he did actually harass them.’
09:56: Witness 2: “I was sitting at the restaurant Max with my girlfriends. While we’re sitting there we see A$AP Rocky and decide to come out to take a picture with him. When we get there we understand that they are having a dispute with two other guys. Rocky and his friends ask the guys to leave them alone. Her friend says that they should go and stand further away to not get involved. Then we can see the guard approaching us to talk to us. He wanted us to translate to the two guys, because they couldn’t understand their English. So we went there and started to translate. Rocky then asked us to tell the guys to leave them alone, cause they didn’t want to fight.”
9:55: Prosecutor Daniel Sunesson begins by interrogating the second witness (Witness 2). He wants her to recount the entire event.
09:52: The other witness is shown on video. She says that she is fine. The chairman is going through the rules and laws again. According to earlier reports, the witnesses felt uncomfortable and did not want to take part in the trial.
09:50: They’re now calling the second witness, the first witness’ friend who was according to WITNESS 1 the person who recorded the incident.
9:49: The prosecutor asks if the witness was allowed to approve the statement when it was read. She answers "yes" and with that ends her testimony.
9:47: Attorney: "Do you remember what color clothes you had on that day?
Witness: "I wore a black shawl and black sweater."
Attorney: "When the bottle crashes, is that something you hear but don't see?"
Witness: "Yes."
Attorney: :So the incident happens behind your back"
Witness: "Everything went so fast, we ran away and we hear glass smashed behind us."
Attorney: "Do you have any idea what happened to the bodyguard when the glass was broken?"
Witness: ", I don't know what he's doing."
Attorney: "The only thing you can say for sure is that A$AP Rocky throws him to the ground."
Witness: "Yes"
09:46: Attorney: "Can you describe the mood of the two groups?"
Witness: "When they talked to us, [both groups were very calm."
Witness: "Rocky and his entourage were upset because they felt they were being persecuted."
Attorney: "How were the others?"
Witness: "He was calm but very angry. He wanted his headphones."
9.45am: Attorney: :Do you remember if you got to see the interview afterward and approved it?"
Witness: "Yes, he read it over the phone, the witness says."
Attorney: "But you haven't seen what is written down? Have you read it?"
Witness: "No."
09:44: Slobodan Jovicic (A$AP Rocky's attorney) asks how the interrogation with the police happened. The witness says it was over the phone. He says the hearing goes on for 28 minutes. "It would take 20 minutes," she says.
09:43: The plaintiff's counsel points out that the statements now differ from the witness' previous statements. The witness has previously said that the plaintiff asked for help and wanted the women to call the police.
Counsel Magnus Strömberg asks if she remembers who contacted the police.
Witness: "My friend. After all, he was unconscious."
09:40: Prosecutor stops questioning. Now up is counsel Magnus Strömberg.
09:39: Prosecutor: "Did you see any traces of bottles after the event?"
Witness: "No I just saw some glass. It was a broken bottle, but I don't remember. I saw glass on the ground."
09:38: Prosecutor: "Your memories from the scene, are they the same as what we see in the video?"
Witness: "That’s the only thing that happens."
09:37: She says one of her friends was filming the event.
09:36: When asked if she saw the plaintiff trying to hit someone, she replies that she did not witness that. The prosecutor asks how she knew it was A$AP Rocky's bodyguard on the scene. She says it's logical, "We understood it was his guard."
09:35: "Did the hits and the kicks connect with the 19 year old?" the prosecutor asks
Witness: "I think so. He was bleeding in his hand and he said he’s back was hurting, that's what I saw."
She says she doesn't know if she saw any other injuries to the plaintiff.
9:33: "I saw kicks and punches from everyone." The witness doesn't know how many they were. His two friends, his guard and ASAP Rocky.
09:33: "Did the police misunderstand all your answers?" the prosecutor asks.
09:31: The Prosecutor is continuing to read from the previous statements, where the witness said the plaintiff wass beaten on the back with a glass bottle. She explains that the plaintiff said he had back pain and that's why she thought he had been hit by a glass bottle. She denies that she said a glass bottle was broken in connection with the fight. The witness says the interrogator may have misunderstood her.
From the interrogation: "Did the bottle break when they where fighting?"
Witness: "Yes I think it broke because I heard it’’
9:30: The prosecutor reads some sentences from the witness' previous statement, which he says differ significantly from what is said today. Quote from the witness:"They in the A$AP gang had had enough, and one of A$AP Rocky's friends had glass bottles and they hit the guy with the glass." The witness says that is not true at all. She thinks they misunderstood her in the interrogation. She says one of them had the glass but she didn't know who it was. The bottom line is that the witness in previous police interrogations said that she had seen one of Rocky's friends hit the plaintiff with the glass. Now she says she didn't seen anyone get hit with the glass.
9:29: She says she knew who A$AP Rocky was when she was on the street. She did not see him with a glass but saw one of his friends holding a glass, but did not know who it was.
09:28: When asked how she saw the glass breaking, she replied she hadn't seen the glass breaking, she just heard it. ‘’We were terrified and everything went so fast." She doesn't remember who had the glass bottle. She remembers the plaintiff bleeding afterwards.
Prosecutor: "Did Rocky hold a glass?"
- Witness: "No."
- Prosecutor: "Who did?"
- Witness: "One of his friends."
09:27: The prosecutor asks; "Who harassed who?"
- Witness: "The 19 year old and his friend harassed a girl."
- Prosecutor: "Did that girl say that to ASAP Rocky?"
- Witness: "Yes."
9:25: The witness says Rocky threw the guy to the ground and after that, hit and kicked him. She also tells him that the friend of the plaintiff refused to stay and leaves the scene.
09:24: She goes on to say that two girls showed up and say that the plaintiff and his friend harassed them.
09:23: "Should I tell them who you are so he can leave you alone?" Rocky answered that he didn’t want her to tell them, he just wanted to be left alone.
09:22: Rocky's bodyguard had asked the girls to translate for them and "ask [the plaintiff] to leave us alone". The bodyguard told the plaintiff that he could hurt him but doesn't want to. She says that the plaintiff insisted he wanted his headphones.
She says that Rocky got into a discussion with the plaintiff and tried to calm the situation down. ‘’We saw that the guard was bleeding on his hand. Then we saw his guard telling the guys to leave them in peace. The guy said he wanted his headphones.”
She says that Rocky got into the discussion and tried to calm the situation down. ‘’We saw that the guard was bleeding on his hand.’’ ‘’Then we saw his guard telling the guys to leave them in peace. The guy said he wanted his headphones.
9.20: The witness tells how she was at MAX to eat, when they saw Rocky and got excited. They wanted to go out to take a picture with him but saw him having a discussion with some people.
09:19: A$AP Rocky's mother and other relatives come into the room.
9:17: The Prosecutor opens the hearing and asks questions.
09:16: The witness makes an oath. The Chairman announces that this means she must speak the truth and that she’s speaking under criminal liability
09:14: The court calls the first witness, who will testify by video. She says she's "a little nervous"
09:13: The court will decide whether the video clip may be used as evidence after lunch.
09:11: The plaintiff's counsel, Magnus Strömberg, discusses the YouTube clip yesterday that was shown after Slobodan Jovicic objected to the material. He says it was used to disprove A$AP Rocky's claim that he was never called "Harlem".
9:08: All three defenders invoke the verdict. Reference is made to the plaintiff's previous criminal history.
9:04: A$AP Rocky steps in with his lawyer, this time wearing a suit. The Chairman welcomes everyone and goes through the rules
09:03: The 19-year-old plaintiff steps into the courtroom as well as the two suspected friends of A$AP Rocky.
09:01: People continue to arrive at the courthouse. Among the audience are relatives, Donald Trump's envoy, hostage expert Robert O'Brien. A$AP Rocky's mom is not there yet
08:56: The chairman and the board members are in place, the media was released at 08.30. There is less press here than yesterday.
For a complete timeline of A$AP Rocky's arrest in Sweden, head here.
