Rocky is boxed in ’til trial
Swedes: We ‘cannot intervene’
Swedish officials on Friday rebuffed President Trump’s bid to free A$AP Rocky — who is jailed on assault charges following a street brawl in Stockholm last month.
“Sweden and Prime Minister Stefan Löfven have been very clear in the dialogue with both the White House, and directly with the American president, that in Sweden everyone is equal before the law, and that the government cannot interfere in legal proceedings,” a government spokesman told Reuters.
Even former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt chimed in, defending Löfven for not commenting or meddling in the case.
“I think it’s right of the government not to go into a mudwrestling match with Trump,” Bildt said. “That is his element, and should not be Sweden’s.”
A$AP Rocky, 30, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been held with two other men since July 3 in connection with a June 30 melee in the Swedish capital, largely because Sweden does not have a bail system.
The Harlem-born rapper allegedly played a pivotal role in the brawl, even pushing the victim — identified Friday as Mustafa Jafari — to the ground, it emerged Friday through court papers.
The rapper and two other men “deliberately, together in agreement,” beat, kicked and struck the victim with a bottle on June 30, prosecutors said, according to Stockholm District Court documents.
Photos of Jafari newly released by police show he suffered several gashes and cuts, some requiring stitches.
Trump got involved in the case after meeting with rapper Kanye West, who urged the commander in chief to intervene on his pal’s behalf.
In a July 19 tweet, Trump said he had a “friendly and respectful” phone conversation with Löfven, who “assured me that American citizen A$AP Rocky will be treated fairly.”
But the president’s tone changed after Swedish officials declined to get involved in the case, prompting a Twitter barrage from Trump.
“Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Lofven for being unable to act,” he tweeted Thursday. “Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States.”
Slobodan Jovicic, an attorney for the rapper, has claimed that his client was defending himself, not starting a brawl.
“He is claiming that he is innocent, and in that perspective he of course is very sad,” Jovicic said.
A$AP Rocky is scheduled to go on trial on Tuesday and faces up to two years in prison if he is convicted.