Decision in A$AP Rocky assault case expected today

A decision is expected today in the ongoing assault case against American rapper A$AP Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers.

Mayers was released from prison on 2 August pending the verdict of his trial. Even if found guilty, though, he may not have to return to Sweden to serve time.

If the amount of time he spent in prison awaiting trial – pretrial detention – is greater than or equal to the given jail sentence, then it is unlikely he will serve at all, according to Måns Ressner, a Swedish civil attorney who spoke with Billboard. In that case, the judge would likely deduct his pretrial detention time from the jail sentence and he would be allowed to stay in the US.

However, if he is declared guilty and the judge hands down a sentence greater than the five weeks of pretrial detention, it is likely Mayers will be ordered to return to Sweden to serve, else he will be labelled a fugitive. If he decides against returning and becomes a fugitive, Mayers would likely have to avoid performing or visiting any country with an extradition agreement with Sweden. This includes Ireland, which, under the European Arrest Warrant of 2002, would be obligated to return Mayers to Sweden to face charges.

A$AP Rocky was set to headline Dublin’s Longitude Festival back on 5 July, but never made it to the show after he was arrested on 3 July for suspected assault charges, according to Hot Press.

Three weeks after his arrest, Mayers and two members of his entourage were formally charged with assault, as reported by Hot Press. However, they were allowed to return to the US on 2 August while awaiting the results of the trial.

The case drew global attention through the hashtag #FREEROCKY which was used by everyone from Justin Bieber to Donald Trump. The American president himself tried to intervene in the case, saying back on July 19^th in a tweet that after speaking to Kanye West, he would reach out to the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven of Sweden to see what he could do to bring the rapper home.

President Trump allegedly offered to personally vouch for Mayers’s bail, but according to Prime Minister Löfven’s press secretary, Toni Eriksson, this is not recognised under Swedish law. He continued to emphasise the independence of the judicial system in Sweden and insisted that Mr. Löfven is not capable of influencing legal proceedings.

“Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act,” tweeted Trump after the call. The former Swedish Prime Minister, Carl Bildt, responded to the tweet saying, “The rule of the law applies to everyone equally and is exercised by an independent judiciary. That’s the way it is in the US, and that’s certainly the way it is in Sweden. Political interference in the process is distinctly off limits!  Clear?”

The rule of the law applies to everyone equally and is exercised by an independent judiciary. That’s the way it is in the US, and that’s certainly the way it is in Sweden. Political interference in the process is distinctly off limits! Clear? https://t.co/8iTc9Y0df3

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) July 26, 2019

The diplomatic spat luckily simmered down from there. All eyes are now officially back on the judiciary in anticipation of the verdict.