Death - Hip-hop artist charged

2008-11-27 12:00

Los Angeles - A Swedish hip-hop artist and songwriter has been arrested following a road-rage confrontation on a Hollywood street in which a pedestrian died.

Authorities say David Moses Jassy, a 34-year-old musician also known as Dave Monopoly, was to be arraigned on Wednesday on charges of assault, battery and leaving the scene of a deadly accident.

Prosecutors claim that the victim, John Osnes, slapped Jassy's rented sport utility vehicle Sunday when it moved into his crosswalk.

Jassy then got out of his car, punched Osnes in the face then kicked him in the head when Osnes bent over to pick up his glasses, Los Angeles prosecutors alleged in a written statement.

Jassy then broke free of several people trying to restrain him and ran over Osnes as he tried to flee.

Died in hospital

Osnes, a 55-year-old jazz pianist, died at a hospital later on Sunday.

Jassy was arrested on Monday and was being held on $1m bail. He faced a judge on Tuesday, but his arraignment was delayed a day after he requested a Swedish interpreter.

Jassy, who has co-written songs for High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale, was being represented by attorneys from the Public Defender's Office, who did not immediately return an after-hours phone call on Wednesday morning requesting comment.

- AP