Taylor Swift has won the much publicised case against former radio DJ accused of groping her before a gig.
A federal court jury in Denver awarded the singer the symbolic $1 in damages she sought after finding David Mueller guilty of grabbing a “handful of [her] ass” during a photo shoot in 2015.
The jury, consisting of six women and two men, unanimously sided with Taylor and rejected Mueller’s initial suit of defamation, claiming the groping allegation was false and ruined his career.
While Mueller asked for $3 million, Taylor only filed for $1 with her attorney saying it was a symbolic gesture to show other women “you can always say no”.
WATCH: Taylor Swift answer a very important 73 questions.
Taylor’s win comes after an iconic testimony in court where she cut Mueller’s attorney down to size again and again.
While Taylor’s mum Andrea sobbed on the stand as she gave her testimony, Taylor remained calm and repeatedly shut down lawyer Gabe McFarland’s questions that often had a distinct taste of victim blaming.
When lawyer Gabe McFarland asked Taylor how she felt about Mueller losing his job, she said: “I’m not going to allow you or your client make me feel in any way that this is my fault.
“Here we are years later, and I’m being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are the product of his decisions — not mine.”
When pressed if she thought Mueller got what he deserved when he was fired, Taylor said: “I don’t feel anything about Mr. Mueller. I don’t know him.”
McFarland also suggested Swift should have taken a break if she was as distressed by Mueller allegedly groping her as she claims, she shot back: “And your client could have taken a normal photo with me.”
The photo she’s referring to is the focus of the lawsuit and McFarland repeatedly challenged Taylor’s claims by questioning it.
When the attorney claimed nothing looks wrong or visibly inappropriate in the photo on multiple occasions, Taylor hit back with:
“Gabe, this is a photo of him with his hand up my skirt — with his hand on my ass. You can ask me a million questions — I’m never going to say anything different. I never have said anything different.”
“Because my ass is located in the back of my body.”
“The only person who would have a direct eye line is someone laying underneath my skirt and we didn’t have anyone positioned there.”
McFarland also brought into question who grabbed what Taylor describes as “a handful of my ass”. Mueller’s then-girlfriend is also in the photo and McFarland pointed out Taylor is closer to her in the photo, but the singer didn’t have time for someone suggesting she didn’t know whose hand was grabbing her bum – “Yes, she did not have her hand on my ass.”
McFarland was also critical of Taylor’s bodyguard who, if the assault occurred, didn’t step in to intervene.
“I’m critical of your client sticking his hand under my skirt and grabbing my ass,” she shot back.
Get ’em, girl.
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