Taylor Swift breaks down in tears at groping trial as lawyer insists it’s ‘impossible’ DJ David Mueller was grabbing star’s bum in meet-and-greet snap
TAYLOR Swift sat with her head in her hands wiping away tears during the closing arguments of the groping trial.
The lawyer for DJ David Mueller, who initially brought Swift to court alleging she got him fired after sexual assault allegations, insisted it is "impossible" he grabbed her bum during a photo op.
The case against Swift over the firing was thrown out by the judge on Friday, but the musician's counter lawsuit claiming the DJ grabbed her "bare a** cheek" during a meet-and-greet still stood.
Today she was seen looking tearful in court as Gabriel McFarland pulled apart her claims during the closing arguments in the trial.
He said: "I submit to you that there is no way in this picture that Mr. Mueller’s hand is under Ms. Swift’s skirt and under her bottom.
"He’s not lifting up her skirt. Her skirt’s not disturbed. And the line of her skirt is straight. It’s not bent or ruffled at the side or in front. It’s perfectly aligned."
Discussing the photo in question where the alleged grope took place he added: "Look at Miss Swift's face. Ask yourself, is that the face of someone who just had a man grab her butt?"
He told the court he was sure Swift believes she was groped, but said "the photograph shows otherwise".
Her lawyer told the jury it was "open and shut" that they should rule against Mueller, adding "he lost his job because he grabbed her butt and he got caught".
Mr Baldridge said: "The guy did it. Don't be fooled. Don't be snickered.
"It's time to stop the victimisation of victims in this courtroom and in this country."
The judge told both lawyers it was clear they both believe in their clients before he sent the jury to consider their verdict.
Last week the Shake it Off hitmaker, who asked for a symbolic $1 judgement in response to Meuller's clam, said she wants to be an example to other assault victims.
After the judge ruled on Friday there was "insufficient evidence" to find Swift acted improperly, he stated Meuller can still seek damages for future lost wages.
The jury was set to decide whether the hitmaker and her associates "interfered with prospective business relations" today.
Mr McFarland told the jury they should find somewhere around $250,000 for Mueller as he laid out his case against Andrea Swift and Frank Bell.
The songstress last week told a jury of her shock as she realised her "bare a** cheek" was being groped during a photo shoot ahead of a gig in the United States.
Swift, 27, said there was no doubt in her mind the "drunk" radio personality she was being photographed with ahead of a Denver concert in 2013 reached under her skirt and fondled her buttocks.
Earlier in proceedings Meuller's ex-girlfriend told the court about the moment she heard security quiz him about touching her bum.
Shannon Melcher, who is in the picture at the centre of the court case, said she overheard someone ask David Mueller "are you happy with what you've done?".
Last week Melcher spoke of the moment Meuller was fired after an "interrogation" from the security team in a back room following the meet-and-greet.
She told the court Meuller said "I don't know what you are talking about" as he was being questioned and said in the days that followed he maintained he never inappropriately touched Swift.
She said: "His story did not change."
She added she and Meuller felt "odd" about the meet-and-greet situation as they had been in the public section and the fact they felt Meuller felt he had to "dive into the photo".
Melcher told the court she didn't notice any sudden movement from Swift away from Meuller while the picture was taken.
Swift's former bodyguard, Greg Dent, said he saw the moment the DJ allegedly lifted the singer's skirt.
Giving evidence today he said: "His hand went under her skirt, she jumped, moved her skirt down and moved closer to the girl and proceeded to have the pictured taken.
"I was standing off the side the girl, I could see their (Swift, Mueller, Melcher) backsides the entire time.
"I have no doubt that I saw Mueller place his hand under Taylor's skirt, I couldn't tell you how long it was up there.
"But Taylor jumped as soon as he put his hand under her skirt, moved her skirt down and she moved closer to the girl."
In contrast Mueller's former co-host at KYGO had earlier told jurors he first thought it was a joke when he heard about the claims against his friend.
He added that Mueller has maintained he never touched Swift and said his boss, Hershel Coiner - on-air name Eddie Haskell - thought she was wearing biker shorts during the meet-and-greet.
During an hour-long testimony last week Swift claimed “it was a definite grab, a very long grab” in her trial against the 51-year-old - who was pictured with his hand behind the star's back.
"He stayed latched on to my bare a** cheek as I lurched away from him. (His hand) didn't let go," she told the jury.
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Mueller, 55, testified on Tuesday that he may have made innocent contact with Swift but denied any inappropriate behaviour. Asked if he grabbed her backside, the former disc jockey for Denver radio station KYGO-FM replied, "No, I did not."
Questioned by the attorney as to whether it might simply have been a case of mistaken identity on her part, she fired back: "He had a handful of my ass. I know it was him."
Asked about her reaction when she learned that Mueller had been fired, Swift replied, "I just never wanted to see him again.
"And here we are years later and I'm being blamed for the unfortunate events in his life," referring to the DJ losing his job.
Swift said she was absolutely stunned and told Mueller and his girlfriend, Shannon Melcher, "thank you for coming" in a monotone voice before they left.
Her lawyers have said she does not know Mueller and has no incentive to target him or to fabricate a story.
The case is being tried in federal court in Denver under a law allowing the proceeding when the parties live in separate states and the dispute involves a damages claim higher than £60,000.
Earlier this week, Swift's lawyer Douglas Baldridge said the chart topper was “absolutely certain” that Mueller grabbed her “rear end”.
Baldridge asked what possible reason the 27-year-old, who is worth an estimated £216 million, would have to make up an allegations about the former DJ.
He said: “That’s the one and only story we have to tell you that Mr. Mueller grabbed her rear end."
Previously, McFarland told jurors that inappropriate touching is wrong, but falsely accusing someone is equally unacceptable.
Baldridge then emphasised the age difference between Mueller, then 51, and Swift, then 23 – adding it was an assault, not inappropriate touching.
Among the evidence is a photo that shows Mueller with his hand behind Swift, just below her waist, at the event – which the singer's lawyers have called “damning” proof that the radio host groped her.
Mueller says the photo only shows him trying to jump into the frame.
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