Taylor Swift & team triumphant; jury sides with her against deejay

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(DENVER) — It’s over, and Taylor Swift has come out the winner.

A jury in Colorado has unanimously rejected former deejay David Mueller’s claim that Taylor’s mother Andrea Swift and her manager Frank Bell were responsible for him losing his job, after Taylor said he groped her backstage during a 2013 meet-and-greet.

In addition, the jury has found for Taylor in her counter claim of sexual assault and battery against Mueller. They have agreed to award her $1 in nominal damages.

After the verdict was announced, Taylor released a statement saying, “I want to thank Judge William J. Martinez and the jury for their careful consideration, my attorneys Doug Baldridge, Danielle Foley, Jay Schaudies and Katie Wright for fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault, and especially anyone who offered their support throughout this four-year ordeal and two-year long trial process.” 

She added, “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.”

The trial, which began last week, pitted Taylor’s claims that Mueller lifted her skirt and grabbed her bare butt, against his claims that he’d been falsely accused, and was owed the remainder of the money left on his contract when he was terminated from his job at a Denver radio station.

Initially, Mueller sued Taylor, her mom and her manager, but the judge threw out the suit against Taylor last week, saying there was no evidence to show she was involved in his termination.  Taylor counter-sued, claiming assault and battery for “offensive and harmful physical contact.”

During her testimony, a defiant Taylor told Mueller’s attorney, “I’m not going to allow you or your client to make me feel like this was my fault, because it isn’t. I’m being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are a product of his decisions. Not mine.”

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