Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Swift promises to help sex victims
TAYLOR Swift has promised to “help those whose voices should also be heard” after jurors found a radio host groped her during a photo shoot.
The singer, 27, also praised her legal team for “fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault” and thanked the jury.
Miss Swift acknowledged her privileged position in being able to “shoulder the enormous cost” of defending herself and vowed to donate to multiple charities that help sexual assault victims in court.
She won a symbolic one dollar (77p) victory and was vindication when jurors in Denver decided sacked DJ David Mueller grabbed her backside during a pre-concert picture opportunity four years ago.
The six-woman, two-man jury also found that Miss Swift’s mother Andrea and the pair’s radio liaison worker Frank Bell were within their rights to contact Mr Mueller’s bosses at Denver country station KYGO-FM. Mr Mueller started the lawsuit, suing the Swifts and Mr Bell for up to three million dollars (£2,300,000) for his ruined career.
Miss Swift counter-sued, asking for just one dollar and an opportunity to stand up for other women.
Just before closing arguments, the judge dismissed the US singer-songwriter from Mr Mueller’s lawsuit and drastically reduced the amount he could collect.
However, the case remained against her mother and Mr Bell.
Following the verdict, Miss Swift hugged her crying mother and thanked judge William Martinez and the jury for their “careful considerations”.
And she praised her lawyers for “fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault, and especially anyone who offered their support throughout this four-year ordeal and two-year long trial process”.
“I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this,” she added.
“My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard.
“Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organisations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”