In 2013, singer Taylor Swift had accused former Radio host, David Mueller, of sexually assaulting her at a concert. The trial is currently underway in Denver, Colorado.
David Mueller, a Denver based radio show host, allegedly groped Taylor Swift while posing for a photograph with her. One of Swift’s bodyguards, Greg Dent, witnessed the incident. Stephanie Simbeck, the photographer, is believed to have heard Taylor talk about the assault soon after it happened. Both Dent and Simbeck are listed as potential witnesses.
Following this incident, Swift and her team raised a complaint with Mueller’s bosses, who promptly fired him.
Mueller was 51 years old at the time of the incident. Swift was 23. Subsequently, Mueller slapped a $3 million lawsuit on Taylor Swift and her team, alleging that he was wrongfully accused of molestation. Swift counter-sued for a symbolic $1, saying that she wanted the case to serve as an example and inspiration for victims of sexual assault.
As a means of ensuring that Taylor Swift’s popularity does not sway the jury, the court decided to recruit jurors based on a questionnaire, reports said. Potential jurors were weighed based on their opinions of Swift, and whether they were fans of or related to fans of Taylor Swift.
It is this unbiased jury that will decide if Swift was assaulted or not.
On day 2 of the trial, Mueller testified at length in front of the court about the placement of his hand during his interaction with Swift. A photo of the alleged sexual assault does call into question Mueller’s actions.
Mueller said that he wanted to move into the frame so that he could take a photo with Taylor. His hand was outstretched as he moved towards Swift. However, he denies groping her.
Recommended
Meanwhile, Andrea Swift, Taylor’s mother, testified in front of the court on the third day of the trial. She pointed at Mueller and described him as the man who assaulted Taylor.
“I went into the dressing room and I saw her face. I could see that there was something horribly wrong. She said, ‘Mom, a guy just grabbed my ass. I wanted to vomit and cry at the same time’,” Andrea said.
Andrea also said that as a result of this incident, they became more cautious about the way they operated during meet-and-greets. She said, “Our meet-and-greets are much smaller. We now have metal detectors. We wand people. We now do background checks. It scared us really badly.”
Taylor Swift is expected to testify before the court in the coming days. Many of her fans have gathered outside the courthouse in a show of support for the singer.