Good news for Taylor Swift: A judge has dismissed claims of slander filed against the singer after she accused a radio DJ of groping her. Back in 2015, David Mueller, a former Denver DJ known as "Jackson," filed a lawsuit against Swift in U.S. District Court following her claims that he had grabbed her butt while posing for a photo with her in 2013. Swift countersued his claim, promising any money made would be donated to charities benefiting survivors of sexual assault.
According to Us Weekly, the Mueller's case was dismissed because the statute of limitations for slander had run out. Swift's case, however, will move forward as scheduled.
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In a transcript obtained by Billboard, Swift told her side of the story of the 2013 event:
“Right as the moment came for us to pose for the photo, he took his hand and put it up my dress and grabbed onto my ass cheek and no matter how much I scooted over it was still there. It was completely intentional, I've never been so sure of anything in my life."
The assault was eye-opening for the actress, particularly because it occurred during a meet-and-greet.
"I remember being frantic, distressed, feeling violated in a way I had never experienced before," she said in the deposition. "A meet-and-greet is supposed to be a situation where you’re thanking people for coming, you’re supposed to be welcoming people into your home, which is the arena for that day, and for someone to violate that hospitality in that way, I was completely stunned."
Mueller's team had a different version of events, claiming that "the contention that Mr. Mueller lifted up Ms. Swift's skirt and grabbed her bottom, while standing with his girlfriend, in front of Ms. Swift's photographer and Ms. Swift's highly trained security personnel, during a company-sponsored, VIP, backstage meet-and-greet, is nonsense, particularly given that Ms. Swift's skirt is in place and is not being lifted by Mr. Mueller's hand in the photograph." The photograph, however, isn't public.
Mueller subsequently lost his job following the incident, but the KYGO-FM radio station is adamant that the decision to fire him was made independently of Swift's accusations.
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Well, onward to the next stage of court we go.