Donald Trump plans intervention after Sweden extends US rapper A$AP Rocky’s detention over Stockholm street fight
- ‘They’re friends of mine, the leadership,’ Trump insisted, but did not explain how he could intervene in the Swedish justice system
A district court agreed to a request from prosecutors for more time for their investigation of alleged aggravated assault by the 30-year-old performer, producer and model, whose real name is Rakim Mayers.
“The court decided that the artist will remain in custody until July 25 because of the flight risk,” Daniel Suneson, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said in a statement. “This gives us time to complete the investigation.”
The artist’s lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, said the decision was expected but unfair and A$AP Rocky, who has already spent two weeks in a Swedish jail, is innocent.
“[Mayers] believes he was assaulted and has acted in self-defence,” Jovicic told journalists.
The detention of Mayers, who attended the court dressed in a green T-shirt, has gained widespread attention including from Trump and US first lady Melania Trump. More than 600,000 people have signed an online petition for his release, while fellow artists have expressed their support.