Though he has no intention of ever going back to Sweden, ASAP Rocky may not have much of a choice.
On Wednesday, a Swedish court will release its verdict for Rocky's assault case, in which he faces up to two years behind bars. Attorneys previously confirmed the rapper does not have to be in Sweden for the verdict, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's in the clear, as pointed out by Billboard.
If the Swedish court ultimately finds Rocky guilty, he might be required to return to the country to serve prison time. However, Swedish civil lawyer Måns Ressner told the outlet this is unlikely due to his incarceration throughout July.
Per Billboard:
Even if he is sentenced to prison, it is unlikely that Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, would have to serve any time. His days spent in a detention cell while the case was being investigated—what is called pretrial detention in Sweden—would be deductible from any potential jail sentence, Ressner said.
Prosecutors are asking the court to convict Rocky and sentence him to a six-month prison sentence. If they get what they want, the 30-year-old will have a couple of choices: go back to Sweden to serve the remaining sentence, or become a fugitive.
The latter wouldn't be the wisest decision, as Sweden has extradition agreements with most Western countries, including the U.S. This would put huge limitations on Rocky's traveling abilities, as he would risk being arrested during international appearances.
As previously reported, the rapper's team is confident their client will receive a not guilty verdict because he was allowed to leave the country following the assault investigation.
About a week after his release, Rocky appeared at Saturday's Real Street Festival in Anaheim, California, where he briefly mentioned his legal troubles.
"I’m so happy to be here right now. That was a scary, humbling experience, but I’m here right now," he told the crowd. "God is good, man, you know what I’m saying? [...] Everybody listen. I know y’all was praying for me. I’m gonna need y’all to keep praying for me. You know what I’m saying? Hopefully, with God’s will I’m not guilty."
