A former Colorado radio DJ sued Taylor Swift this week, after accusations that he “grabbed her bottom” got him fired from his job, according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court.
In June 2013, David Mueller, known in Denver’s airwaves as “Jackson,” attended a Swift concert meet-and-greet with his girlfriend and co-worker Shannon Melcher. The backstage event was part of his job duties with station KYGO, where he was often required to interact with celebrities, according to court documents.
Mueller and Melcher greeted Swift and had their picture taken with her. That picture is at the center of the dispute.
Swift allegedly claimed that Mueller lifted her “skirt with his hands and grabbed her bottom.” Following her claim, Swift’s security team surrounded Mueller and Melcher and removed them from the concert grounds. Then after a string of phone calls between Swift’s management team and the station, Mueller was fired, the lawsuit alleged.
Mueller maintains he never inappropriately touched Swift. The DJ alleges someone else at the station told him he had “put his arms around her, hands on her bottom.”
“The contention that Mr. Mueller lifted up Ms. Swift’s skirt and grabbed her bottom, while standing with his girlfriend, in front of Ms. Swift’s photographer and Ms. Swift’s highly trained security personnel, during a company sponsored, VIP, backstage meet-and-greet, is nonsense, particularly given that Ms. Swift’s skirt is in place and is not being lifted by Mr. Mueller’s hand in the photograph,” said the lawsuit.
“The radio station was given evidence immediately after the incident. They made their independent decision,” Swift’s spokeswoman Tree Paine told CNN via email.
A response asking her to be more specific about the evidence was not answered.
The lawsuit claims the photo was described as “damning” by Swift’s managers. But Mueller contends it is anything but.
In “the photograph, Ms. Swift is smiling and hugging Ms. Melcher. Although Mr. Mueller’s hand is behind Ms. Swift and therefore not visible, it is clear that her skirt is in place and is not being lifted by Mr. Mueller’s hand,” said the lawsuit. “Similarly, Ms. Swift’s hand is behind Mr. Mueller and therefore not visible.”
CNN has not independently seen the photograph. A request to Mueller’s attorney was not immediately answered.
The lawsuit looks to recuperate Mueller’s lost income. At the time, he was making $150,000 a year. Mueller’s radio career spans over 20 years, according to court documents.
As reported by CNN