By Joanna McClanahan of Ramblin’ Mama
A Denver jury found fully in Taylor Swift’s favor that a former radio DJ, David Mueller, groped her four years ago. Swift has been awarded a symbolic $1 (Yes, one dollar.) in damages for her lawsuit.
The case hinged on an alleged 2013 incident at a meet-and-greet photo opportunity before one of Swift’s concerts (Picture in question above. Photo credit: TMZ.) in Denver, where Swift says Mueller reached under the back of her skirt and grabbed her butt as they posed for a picture.
It was Mueller (the creeper in question) who initiated litigation in 2015, with a suit denying Swift’s allegation that he had groped her and claiming that it led radio station KYGO to fire him. His lawsuit originally sought $3 million in damages. (Mueller’s case against Swift was dismissed by the judge last Friday.)
Swift then filed a counter lawsuit against Mueller, including the assault and battery allegation. Both cases have been ongoing for two years but gained media attention during the trial phase this past week, most notably when Swift herself delivered some refreshingly curt, mic-drop worthy answers during her cross-examination, including the following exchanges between the defendant’s lawyer and Swift:
Mueller’s attorney, Gabriel McFarland, said after the alleged incident, Swift continued her meet-and-greet, despite feeling stunned, because she didn’t want other fans to know what had happened. When Mueller’s attorney told Swift she could have taken a break if she was feeling so distressed, Swift said, “And your client could have taken a normal photo with me.”
Referring to the photo in question, McFarland told Swift that there is nothing visibly inappropriate going on. Swift responded, “Gabe, this is a photo of him with his hand up my skirt, with his hand on my ass. You can ask me a million questions. I’m never going to say anything different. I never have said anything different.”
Referring again to the photo “as evidence of no wrongdoing,” McFarland told Swift that the front of her skirt showed no signs of displacement. To which Swift said, “Because my ass is located in the back of my body.”
When asked how she felt about Mueller losing his job at a radio station following their encounter, Swift said, “I’m not going to allow you or your client make me feel in any way that this is my fault. Here we are years later, and I’m being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are the product of his decisions, not mine.”
In his closing argument Monday, McFarland continued to insist that the photo proved his client was innocent, suggesting Swift’s face in the photo did not show someone in distress.
“I don’t know what kind of man grabs or gropes a music superstar, but it’s not that guy,” McFarland said during his closing argument. “Nobody saw what Ms. Swift said happened, because it didn’t happen.”
His 40-minute address to the jury was met with eye rolls, head shakes, and tears from Swift.
In response to winning her lawsuit today, Swift said, in part, “I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”