Taylor Swift Takes the Stand in Sexual Assault Case: ‘It was intentional’

Taylor Swift testified in federal court on Thursday (Aug 10) regarding a sexual assault allegation against former Denver radio DJ David “Jackson” Mueller. While on the stand, the singer told the judge that the assault happened while she posed for a picture with David back in 2013. “It was a definite grab … A very long grab. He grabbed my ass underneath my skirt,” stated the star.

Despite David claiming the interaction was rushed and unplanned, Taylor responded, “This was not jostling. We were perfectly in position for the photograph to be taken. What Mr. Mueller did was very intentional.” After this happened, the singer continued with her meet-and-greet to avoid disappointing her fans, but quickly confided in photographer Stephanie Simbeck about the incident.

Taylor is now suing the ex-radio host for US $1, a symbolically low amount for the alleged crime. Fans speculate that Taylor wants to set a precedent for victims of sexual assault. She doesn’t need the money, but it’s an act of solidarity to other women in similar cases that go unheard.

On Wednesday (Aug 9), the pop star’s mother Andrea took to the stand yesterday to testify against David, recalling the moment she found out about the alleged assault on her daughter. She told the court that she first heard of the incident after Taylor’s concert on June 2 2013, revealing that her daughter told her in the dressing room after the show: “Mom, a guy just grabbed my ass.” Andrea said she then saw the photo that was taken at the time of Taylor with David Mueller and his girlfriend. “I knew there was something horribly wrong with that picture,” she said. “I know those eyes better than anybody. She was pulling away. She has that smile frozen on her face, but there’s something going on in her eyes. I just looked at it and I was sickened.”

Taylor’s mother described her daughter as being “really shaken, she was humiliated, she was horribly embarrassed,” before adding, “She couldn’t believe that after the incident, she thanked him for being there. She said ‘Thank you’. It was destroying her. It made me question why, as a parent, I had encouraged her to be so polite.”