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Judge Throws Out David Mueller's Case Against Taylor Swift
August 11, 2017 at 5:05 PM (PT)
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According to AP NEWS, the judge has thrown out former KYGO/DENVER DJ DAVID MUELLER's case against TAYLOR SWIFT, ruling that MUELLER failed to prove that she got him fired. However, CNN reports that MUELLER's federal suit against singer's mother, ANDREA SWIFT, and radio promotions director, FRANK BELL, will continue. A jury will hear closing arguments in the case and TAYLOR SWIFT's countersuit against MUELLER.
Earlier in the day, SWIFT's attorneys declined to call any witnesses, arguing that she be removed from the case because MUELLER had not presented enough evidence for the jury to further consider, CNN reported. "Mr. MUELLER's beef is with KYGO, it's not with my client," SWIFT's attorney DOUG BALDRIDGE said. "That's the problem with this case." A ruling on that motion is expected later on today.
Swift's Bodyguard Testified
Day five of the trial featured GREG DENT, former bodyguard for TAYLOR SWIFT, on the witness stand, describing what he saw at the now-famous JUNE 2nd, 2013 meet-and-greet prior to a SWIFT show in DENVER.
“I did not see his hand touch her physically. I saw his hand under her skirt," he said. "She reacted, pushed her skirt down, and moved closer to the other woman."
SWIFT has accused former KYGO/DENVER host DAVID "JACKSON" MUELLER of "improperly and inappropriately groping" her during a photo-op that night. Her claim is part of a counter-suit to MUELLER's civil suit, in which he is seeking $3 million, claiming lost wages and defamation. MUELLER was fired by KYGO two days after the incident. SWIFT's suit seeks a $1 judgement.
When pressed by MUELLER's attorney whether he saw MUELLER's hand under SWIFT's skirt, DENT replied, "I don’t believe I saw it. I know I saw it." DENT corroborated SWIFT's answer YESTERDAY (8/10), when asked by MUELLER's lawyer why she did not respond to MUELLER's actions, and TODAY (8/11), why he did not immediately intervene in the moment. SWIFT wanted to finish the meet-and-greet and visit with her fans, said DENT.
Day five of the trial follows THURSDAY testimony from SWIFT, KYGO GM BOB CALL, former KYGO PD EDDIE HASKELL, and SWIFT photographer STEPHANIE SIMBECK. SWIFT was decisive, assertive, and confident on the stand during an hour of questioning, telling MUELLER attorney, "He did not touch my rib, he did not touch my arm... he grabbed my bare ass." SWIFT called the incident, "Horrifying. Shocking," and when asked her reaction to MUELLER's termination, said, "I didn’t have a reaction to a strange person I didn’t know losing his job ... that was a product of his decisions, not mine. I’m not going to let you or your client make me feel like this is my fault."
CALL decided to terminate MUELLER on MONDAY, JUNE 4th, 2013, reasoning, "[MUELLER], in our opinion, violated ... our contract and created an embarrassing situation for our company, our clients,…by virtue of touching TAYLOR’s rear end.” CALL added that he understood the alleged contact may have occurred, “incidentally or accidentally.” SIMBECK described SWIFT's immediate reaction to the encounter with MUELLER: “She had an uncomfortable, shocked looked on her face, and I saw his hand grab her ass.”
HASKELL vehemently disputed MUELLER’s claim that it was HASKELL who actually touched SWIFT, later boasting about it. “It is an absolute lie. And the fact that it took him two years to make that story up shows it is a lie,” said HASKELL.
MUELLER's date for the SWIFT show, SHANNON MELCHER, and his former on-air partner at KYGO, RYAN "RYNO" KLIESCH, also took the stand FRIDAY (8/11), both called by MUELLER's legal team. SWIFT's team declined to call any witnesses and the jury was dismissed for the weekend, with closing arguments expected MONDAY morning, AUGUST 14th.