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A$AP Rocky Is Free — But Only Until August 14

A Swedish judge is allowing the Harlem rapper to return to the United States while he awaits verdict on his assault charges.
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The courtroom full of fans burst into cheers after a judge ordered A$AP Rocky’s release from Swedish prison after a dramatic three-day trial. “There is a God,” his tearful mother said.

But Rocky isn’t out of the woods yet. The judge is allowing him and two of his bodyguards to return to the United States while they wait for a verdict on assault charges stemming from a fight on a Stockholm street on June 30.

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President Trump, who fruitlessly advocated for the rapper’s freedom in July, made two puns in one tweet to celebrate the release, saying, “It was a Rocky Week, get home ASAP A$AP!”

Rocky and his entourage are accused of assaulting a 19-year-old, and have spent the last three weeks in a Swedish prison awaiting charges. But now they can go back to the U.S. to await the final verdict, which the Swedish court will deliver on Aug. 14.

Before Rocky’s release on Friday, a key witness withdrew her claim that she saw Rocky using a bottle as a weapon to hit the alleged victim, Mustafa Jafari.

READ: A key witness in A$AP Rocky's trial is changing her story

Rocky’s bodyguard also took the stand on Friday, and said Jafari threw punches that didn’t land and "threw headphones at him," according to NBC.

Rocky pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, maintaining that he threw Jafari to the ground and punched him in self-defense during his testimony. But the prosecution closed its argument on Friday by concluding that Rocky’s alleged assault was not provoked by an emergency and that they should be punished in jail for using “excess” force against Jafari.

As part of the backlash against Rocky’s detention, fellow rappers Tyler the Creator and SchoolBoy Q say they're boycotting Sweden in future tours.

Rocky faces up to two years in prison if convicted, according to officials. Prosecutors are asking the court to convict him and make him serve at least six months.

They alleged the footage used to vindicate him was edited, leaving out incriminating evidence.

Cover: ASAP Rocky attends Rihanna's 4th Annual Diamond Ball benefitting The Clara Lionel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street on September 13, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Diamond Ball)