Swedish hip-hop artist Jassy to be sentenced for man's death

A Swedish hip-hop artist convicted of second-degree murder is scheduled to be sentenced today for the death of a pedestrian kicked in the head and run over in Hollywood after hitting the musician's rented SUV with his hands during a 2008 run-in.

David Moses Jassy, 35, is facing a maximum 15-year-to-life term when he appears before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson.

Jassy was convicted Feb. 1 of second-degree murder and one count each of assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury in the death of John Osnes, 55, on Nov. 23, 2008.

Jurors acquitted Jassy of the greater charge of first-degree murder, as well as one count each of assault with a deadly weapon – involving the SUV – and leaving a traffic collision resulting in death or injury.

Keep up with LAist.

If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.

Subscribe

Several jurors said outside court after the verdict that they were not sure Jassy intentionally ran over Osnes or knew that he had following the confrontation. But one juror said the end result of the fight was "more than necessary."

The victim died from head injuries involving what Deputy District Attorney Sarika Kapoor called a "brutal kick" along with a liver laceration from being run over following the fight, according to the prosecutor.

Osnes, a musician and pedestrian rights activist, was crossing the street at Schrader Boulevard and Selma Avenue in Hollywood when he used his hands to strike Jassy's hood because the defendant's vehicle allegedly extended into the crosswalk, according to authorities.

Jassy opened his locked door, got out of his car and punched the victim in the face and kicked him in the head when Osnes bent over to pick up his glasses, authorities said.

"I thought that the attack in this case was brutal. It was unprovoked," the prosecutor said after the verdict, which she called "just."

During the trial, Jassy told jurors that he got out of the SUV because he wanted to see what had happened to the rented vehicle and said he thought it was "going to be an argument, not a fight."

"Did you want to fight this man?" defense attorney Alec Rose asked.

"No," Jassy responded.

"Did you want to hurt him?" the defense attorney asked.

"No," Jassy again responded.

"Did you want this to happen?" Rose asked, showing a photo of the victim's battered face.

"No, and I really want the family to understand that," the musician testified.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Jassy said he didn't know Osnes had died until he was talking the next day with police, and told jurors he began crying upon learning the news.