Taylor Swift in court as potential jurors quizzed ahead of singer's sexual assault trial against DJ
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Pop star Taylor Swift has appeared in court as jury selection began for her case against a Colorado radio personality who she claims sexually assaulted her four years ago during a photo shoot.
Swift alleges former disc jockey David Mueller slipped his hand under her dress and groped her while the two posed during a meet and greet in 2013.
Who's suing who — and for what?
In his lawsuit, Mueller claims he was fired from his job at a country music station after Swift's team wrongfully told his boss Mueller had groped her.
He is seeking at least $3 million in damages.
Swift's countersuit against Mueller claims sexual assault, and the singer is seeking a verdict that awards her $1, while holding Mueller responsible and, "serving as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts".
Swift and Mueller are both expected to testify, along with Mueller's former boss and members of Swift's entourage.
When did the alleged assault take place?
Mueller, then 51, was a morning host at a country music station when he was assigned to attend Swift's concert at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Mueller was backstage with his girlfriend when they met with Swift, then 23, in a curtained enclosure.
They posed for a photo and left.
Later, Swift's bodyguard confronted Mueller with the allegation the DJ had reached under the singer's dress and grabbed her.
Mueller denied the allegation and said he asked that they call the police.
He and his girlfriend were escorted out of the arena and a member of Swift's team called his boss.
Swift did not go to the police.
The singer tried to keep the situation "discreet and quiet and confidential" and was upset by Mueller's claim that, "for some reason she might have some incentive to actually fabricate this story," her attorney, Douglas Baldridge, argued in court.
Mueller's attorney, Gabriel McFarland, argued Mueller may have been misidentified after someone else touched Swift.
In addition to Swift, Mueller named her mother and a member of her team as defendants in the lawsuit.
The 'damning' photo at the centre of the trial
The photo at the centre of the case shows Swift, Mueller and his girlfriend standing together and Mueller's hand behind the pop star.
The photo was obtained by TMZ then sealed by a judge earlier in the case.
Swift's lawyers called the photo "damning" proof Mueller groped her.
Mueller, who also attended jury selection, denied the allegation and said the photo only showed him trying to jump into the frame.
Selecting the jury
Potential jurors were asked everything from whether they were fans of the singer or the DJ, to whether they had ever been inappropriately touched.
They were also asked if they had ever been wrongly accused of groping someone.
The 15-page questionnaire also asked candidates if they had seen any pictures related to the case — a possible reference to the photo.
The eight-member jury will be chosen from a pool of 60 candidates, court spokesman Jeff Colwell said. There will be no alternates.
One juror was dismissed over his answer to the question, "In a lawsuit between David Mueller and Taylor Swift would you have bias for or against either Taylor Swift or David Mueller?"
The potential juror answered: "She seems petty and spiteful."
The case is being heard in federal court because Swift and Mueller live in different states — Swift in Nashville, Tennessee, Mueller in Colorado — and damages at stake exceed $75,000.
The trial is expected to last about two weeks.
Court documents say it is unlikely either side will settle.
Reuters/AP
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, sexual-offences, laws, arts-and-entertainment, united-states
