After nearly four hours of deliberation, a jury ruled in favor of pop star Taylor Swiftin her countersuit against former radio host David Mueller for alleged assault and battery. Swift accused Mueller of groping her at a meet-and-greet event in June 2013. He will be required to pay$1 in damages to Swift.
The jury, comprised of six women and two men, also found the singer's mother, Andrea Swift, not liable for tortious interference.
After the reading of the verdict, Swift embraced her mother.
In a statement, Swift thanked the judge and her legal team for "fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault."
"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," Swift added in the statement, obtained by CNN. "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."
Mueller had sued Swift, the singer's mom Andrea Swift, and radio promotions director Frank Bell in 2015, accusing them of interfering with his $150,000/year contract as a local morning radio DJ in Denver by pressuring his employer, KYGO radio, to fire him.
Bell was also found not liable for tortious interference.
Swift was dismissed as a defendant in Mueller's suit on Friday after a judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to show that Swift had acted improperly.
Swift's lawsuit against Mueller argued that the trial would "serve as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts."
The trial
The civil trial began August 8 and included four days of testimony.
Mueller testified on Tuesday, claiming he had not inappropriately touched Swift during the 2013 photo-op. Instead, he said that he had simply touched her arm and ribs while "jostling" for the photo.
Swift testified on Thursday, delivering a confident and assertive account of the incident that led to the legal proceedings and rejected Mueller's characterization of the event.
"This was not jostling," Swift said. "He did not touch my rib. He did not touch my arm. ... He grabbed my bare ass."
Swift's mother testified that her daughter was visibly upset after the incident.
"Mom, a guy just grabbed my (rear end) in the meet and greet," Andrea Swift said her famous daughter told her.
"I wanted to vomit and cry at the same time," Andrea Swift said.
The photo
A photo of Swift, Mueller, and Mueller's then-girlfriend, Shannon Melcher, at the 2013 event was referenced several times during the trial. A key point of disagreement between the two sides was the positioning of Mueller's hand, which was hidden from view in the photo and positioned below Swift's lower back.
Mueller testified on Tuesday, claiming he had not inappropriately touched Swift during the 2013 photo-op. Instead, he said that he had simply touched her arm and ribs while "jostling" for the photo.
Swift testified on Thursday, delivering a confident and assertive account of the incident that led to the legal proceedings and rejected Mueller's characterization of the event.
"This was not jostling," Swift said. "He did not touch my rib. He did not touch my arm. ... He grabbed my bare ass."
Swift's mother testified that her daughter was visibly upset after the incident.
"Mom, a guy just grabbed my (rear end) in the meet and greet," Andrea Swift said her famous daughter told her.
"I wanted to vomit and cry at the same time," Andrea Swift said.
The photo
A photo of Swift, Mueller, and Mueller's then-girlfriend, Shannon Melcher, at the 2013 event was referenced several times during the trial. A key point of disagreement between the two sides was the positioning of Mueller's hand, which was hidden from view in the photo and positioned below Swift's lower back.
The jury, comprised of six women and two men, also found the singer's mother, Andrea Swift, not liable for tortious interference.
After the reading of the verdict, Swift embraced her mother.
In a statement, Swift thanked the judge and her legal team for "fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault."
"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," Swift added in the statement, obtained by CNN. "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."
Mueller had sued Swift, the singer's mom Andrea Swift, and radio promotions director Frank Bell in 2015, accusing them of interfering with his $150,000/year contract as a local morning radio DJ in Denver by pressuring his employer, KYGO radio, to fire him.
Bell was also found not liable for tortious interference.
Swift was dismissed as a defendant in Mueller's suit on Friday after a judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to show that Swift had acted improperly.
Swift's lawsuit against Mueller argued that the trial would "serve as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts."
The trial
The civil trial began August 8 and included four days of testimony.
Mueller testified on Tuesday, claiming he had not inappropriately touched Swift during the 2013 photo-op. Instead, he said that he had simply touched her arm and ribs while "jostling" for the photo.
Swift testified on Thursday, delivering a confident and assertive account of the incident that led to the legal proceedings and rejected Mueller's characterization of the event.
"This was not jostling," Swift said. "He did not touch my rib. He did not touch my arm. ... He grabbed my bare ass."
Swift's mother testified that her daughter was visibly upset after the incident.
"Mom, a guy just grabbed my (rear end) in the meet and greet," Andrea Swift said her famous daughter told her.
"I wanted to vomit and cry at the same time," Andrea Swift said.
The photo
A photo of Swift, Mueller, and Mueller's then-girlfriend, Shannon Melcher, at the 2013 event was referenced several times during the trial. A key point of disagreement between the two sides was the positioning of Mueller's hand, which was hidden from view in the photo and positioned below Swift's lower back.
Mueller testified on Tuesday, claiming he had not inappropriately touched Swift during the 2013 photo-op. Instead, he said that he had simply touched her arm and ribs while "jostling" for the photo.
Swift testified on Thursday, delivering a confident and assertive account of the incident that led to the legal proceedings and rejected Mueller's characterization of the event.
"This was not jostling," Swift said. "He did not touch my rib. He did not touch my arm. ... He grabbed my bare ass."
Swift's mother testified that her daughter was visibly upset after the incident.
"Mom, a guy just grabbed my (rear end) in the meet and greet," Andrea Swift said her famous daughter told her.
"I wanted to vomit and cry at the same time," Andrea Swift said.
The photo
A photo of Swift, Mueller, and Mueller's then-girlfriend, Shannon Melcher, at the 2013 event was referenced several times during the trial. A key point of disagreement between the two sides was the positioning of Mueller's hand, which was hidden from view in the photo and positioned below Swift's lower back.
