Swedish hip-hop artist sentenced to 15-years-to-life in prison for Hollywood road rage murder

A judge sentenced a Swedish hip-hop artist to 15 years to life in prison Thursday for the road rage murder of a pedestrian in a Hollywood crosswalk.

Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson rejected a motion by defense attorneys to reduce David Jassy’s second-degree murder conviction to manslaughter, citing the brutality of the 2008 killing and the defendant’s “phony” trial testimony in which he claimed he acted in self-defense.

“I’ve independently reviewed the evidence, and I agree completely with the jury verdict,” Johnson said.

Under the terms of the mandatory sentence, Jassy, 35, who has been jailed since the incident, will be eligible for parole in 2024, when he is 49. He was convicted last month of the fatal assault on John Osnes, a 55-year-old jazz pianist, during a late-night confrontation at the intersection of Selma Boulevard and Schrader Avenue.

Witnesses said Osnes, who was on foot, struck the hood of Jassy’s rented sport utility vehicle with his hands after the vehicle edged into the crosswalk. Jassy responded, the witnesses said, by leaping from his vehicle, punching Osnes in the face and then kicking him in the head as he bent over.

Johnson told Jassy he did not believe his claim that Osnes, a tall, thin man, posed a danger to the rapper, his girlfriend and his automobile, which the judge described as “a three-quarter ton gross weight sport utility vehicle.”

Before sentencing, a former partner and friend of Osnes, James Crowley, told the judge he felt the victim’s gentle nature was “maligned” by the defense. Osnes would never have pounded his fists violently on the SUV hood, Crowley said, because as a pianist “he valued his hands.”

Crowley told the judge he saw “no winners” in the jury verdict. The two dozen friends who packed the courtroom had lost Osnes, he said. Then, turning to Jassy, he said, “You lost most of your life. You lost your son for all practical purposes. You lost the girl you loved.” The rapper's 11-year-old son lives in Sweden.

Jassy did not speak during the sentencing. His lawyers filed papers Thursday saying they intended to appeal the case.

-- Harriet Ryan at L.A. Superior Court downtown

Photo: KTLA

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Comments

[Anthony]

Definitely got what he deserved!

[Mark]

15 years only? let him rot in state prison.

[Eve]

Very sad...for all involved. Quite the price to pay for loosing his temper. Hopefully he hasn't already passed that on to his son.

[perry yoshida]

Welcome to Los Angeles you Gangsta you

[Karlito]

In all seriousness, he got 15 years to life while the woman who threw gasoline on the dancer got a life sentence? At minimum, Jassy should get a life sentence. He's not a citizen anyways so why should we use our tax money to incarcerate him?

[James]

You guys forgot to mention that after he kicked him in the head, he RAN HIM OVER with his SUV, killing him. Small detail...

[Kenneth]

Let him do his time in Sweden, save our tax dollars

[ray]

If you are going to be hitting someone's car hood, make sure you know how to fight or carry a weapon for defense.

[JayCeezy]

Well, he is keeping it real. Livin' the life!

[Mr. X]

Swedish hip hop artist, give me a break. Sounds like a real nut. All because the guy hit the hood of his car with his hand. He did get what he deserved. You want to act like Rambo you suffer the consequences.

[Anonymous]

I'm not excusing the guy's death but what are people supposed to do when challenged and hit? Hitting somebody's vehicle is almost like assaulting the person. You can't just go around hitting people and not expect a reaction. ? That's like slapping somebody on the face. Where's the crime in that? Are we just supposed to walk around in fear of people who want to hit us and just ignore it when they strike?

[Al Sanchez]

The guy who pounded on his hood should not have done that. If anybody pounded on your hood, you would be super pissed off. Actually, that person was the main factor of this whole incident. The rapper guy couldn't hold his temper, but, as also was the case with the guy who pounded on his hood -- that was an anger response also that should have been curbed. I do not like RAP artists, period! -- but, I think this guy got too much time, as the unfortunate man who died instigated the whole situation. It's the truth.

[peter wolf]

The world has really gone insane when a Swede, of all people, is guilty of something like this.

[Fred]

Hmmm... I wonder would he have "lost his temper" had the old thin man actually been a 300 lb bouncer / bodybuilder type???

The answer to that one is indeed interesting..

[Jomica Man]

I've followed this case from day one and feel this low life rapper deserves exactly what he got. Yes, that "bs" business about self defense was certainly made up by his low life as well lawyer. The fact an off duty police officer witnessed the beating and running over with his suv spoke volumes to the jury. Let's see how bad ass he'll be in prison. He can compose more thug rap noise in prison where this hearing pollution belongs.

[misanthropicus]

15 years? For murder?
What a gooey joke!
Osnes is dead, and this rapper guy will be on the street in a few years, paraded in talk shows, book deals, film deals, etc. etc.
Gross -

[misanthropicus]

Re EVE: [...] Very sad...for all involved. Quite the price to pay for loosing his temper. Hopefully he hasn't already passed that on to his son. [...]

Eve, I'm surprizsd that you haven't mentioned that the rapper was an abused child, and being black in Sweeden justifies any anti-oppression manifestation in LA -

Man! The disease that liberals are...

[Roadblock]

wow. Hope all the hotheads out there learn from this example.

[Dana Garcia]

A sentence of 15 years seems pretty light for murdering someone in such a brutal fashion. Disappointing.

[Andre Noble, Los Angeles, California]

My mentor once told me that hospital wards, cemeteries, and prisons are full of people who only made one mistake in life. This was one big mistake by Mr. David Jassy. Dude, if you knew you have that big of an anger management issue that you would run someone over, you needed to seriously consider getting a monthly metro pass instead of an SUV.

[Fredrik]

Hiphop artist?? I live in Sweden and have never heard of the guy! I´m sorry that you have to waste your taxmoney on this guy but if you send him back to Sweden he will get out of jail in perhapse 3-5 years (I´m not joking)

[Edie]

I believe in early release of inmates and sentences shouldn't be all mandated. Some sentences don't make sence. But any person who intentionally ran someone over should pay with a long sentence.

[Swede]

Fredrik: 3-5 years?

No way. Get your facts right. Since the new law came in 2007 a life sentence in Sweden equals no less than 18 years incarceration, more likely 20-25.

The "low sentences in Sweden" is a myth.

[Martin]

Thank you, America! Here in Sweden, our liberal justice system would have let him off with a slap on the wrist. Now, I finally get to see a Swedish criminal get what he deserves. Stay tough on crime, and please don't send him back!

[James]

Wonderful - the taxpayers of California now have to support this useless turd and the taxpayers of Sweden will have to support the useless turd's son.