A judge has thrown out David Mueller’s case against Taylor Swift, according to the Associated Press.
U.S. District Judge William Martinez was considering Swift’s lawyer’s argument Friday that Mueller had failed to prove the pop star got him fired from his job.
The judge threw out the Denver DJ’s case against Swift on Friday, just before jurors heard closing arguments in duelling lawsuits over whether the radio host groped her during a photo-op and whether she and her team got him fired for it.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift security guard tells court DJ reached under her skirt
Judge Martinez determined that the pop star could not be held liable because Mueller hadn’t shown that she personally set out to have him fired after the backstage meet-and-greet in 2013.
Mueller denies groping Swift during the meet-and-greet before a 2013 concert in Denver and was suing Swift, her mother and her radio liaison, Frank Bell, for up to $3 million. Swift counter sued, seeking a $1 judgment in her favour and alleging assault.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift testifies former radio DJ reached under her skirt
The singer-songwriter said in her countersuit that she wanted a symbolic $1 and the chance to stand up for other women.
After the judge’s ruling, Swift and her team walked up to one another and hugged. The jury will consider Swift’s counterclaim for $1.
Mueller’s team didn’t speak in court after the decision.
Swift’s lawyer, Douglas Baldridge, says he’s proud to represent the singer after the judge tossed the lawsuit from Mueller.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift groping case: DJ says he may have touched her ‘ribs’
Outside court Friday, Baldridge pointed to the pop star’s willingness to file a countersuit after Mueller sued her to claim she ruined his career. Baldridge says he’s grateful to the judge.
Over the course of the highly publicized trial, which had been expected to last for nine days, an eight-person jury heard testimony from Mueller, Swift’s mother, and the singer herself.
Mueller admitted in his testimony last Tuesday that he may have touched Swift’s “ribs,” but he maintained that he did not touch her inappropriately.
Swift’s lawyer explained why the singer only asked for $1, saying, “She’s just trying to tell people out there that you can say no when someone puts their hand on you. Grabbing a woman’s rear end is an assault, and it’s always wrong. Any woman — rich, poor, famous, or not — is entitled to have that not happen.”
Lawyers are expected to make closing arguments Monday in a trial over allegations.
The jury will consider Mueller’s identical allegations against Swift’s mother and her radio liaison as well as the singer’s claim.
—With files from the Associated Press
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