Taylor Swift has won her sexual assault case against former radio DJ David Mueller.
The 27-year-old singer was awarded a symbolic $1 after a jury found the ex-disc jockey had groped her during a meet-and-greet before one of her ‘Red Tour’ gigs at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, in June 2013.
Following Monday’s (14.08.17) verdict, Taylor has vowed to donate money to sexual assault charities to help victims defend themselves.
She said in a statement: ”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.
”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 organisations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”
Mueller was suing Taylor for $3 million in damages, insisting her claims had got him fired from his ”dream job” at radio station KYGO-FM, but she counter-sued for the symbolic amount of $1.
Following the 2013 incident, the ‘Out of the Woods’ hitmaker complained to the radio station and Mueller was sacked two days later.
Similar claims Mueller had made against Taylor’s mother, Andrea Swift, and her radio liaison, Frank Bell, were also rejected by the six-woman, two-man jury, which deliberated for less than a day following a week-long trial.
In court proceedings on Friday (11.08.17), Taylor’s former bodyguard Greg Dent testified that he witnessed the groping taking place.
He said: ”I know I saw it. When he went to put his arm around her, his hand went up her skirt. She jumped to pull her skirt down and moved closer to the girl.”
Taylor recently took to the stand to tell jurors the incident was ”despicable and horrifying”.
She said: ”He stayed attached to my bare ass cheek as I lurched away from him.
”It was a definite grab. A very long grab.”
