Pop superstar Taylor Swift has demanded a trial of a radio host she accuses of groping her, saying she hopes to stand up for other women who have been assaulted.
The singer asked for the trial in a legal counterclaim against David Mueller, who last month sued the singer as he charged he was wrongly dismissed from his job at a Denver radio station over the June 2013 incident.
In the original lawsuit, Mueller said that Swift's bodyguards and staff "verbally abused" him as they accused the radio host of fondling the singer while posing for a picture backstage before her show at a Denver arena.
But in the response filed Wednesday in a Denver court, Swift said that Mueller was clearly the culprit and accused him of reaching under her skirt and touching her in an "intimate" place.
"Ms. Swift was forced to begin a several-hour long concert in front of 13,000 fans still distressed that she had been so inappropriately touched," the legal filing said.
The counterclaim said that Swift, then 23, felt especially uncomfortable as the radio host was much larger than her at 6-foot-3 (1.9 meters) and more than 200 pounds (90 kilograms).
Swift requested a jury trial seeking punitive damages from Mueller, saying that any money would be donated to charitable groups that protect women.
A verdict against Mueller "will serve as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts," the counterclaim said.
Swift said that she has held thousands of similar meet-and-greet events for fans and radio station personnel throughout her career and "she has been inappropriately groped one time -- by Mueller."
Mueller's lawyers did not immediately respond to the counterclaim.
In the original lawsuit, Mueller acknowledged an incident took place but blamed it on one of his colleagues, who he said had boasted to him of grabbing Swift's bottom while taking a picture.
Mueller's lawsuit said that KYGO-FM, a country music station, fired him two days later after Swift's camp warned of action unless the station "handled" the radio host.
Swift, who became a teenage star in country music, a year ago released her fifth studio album "1989," in which she went more fully in a pop direction.
"1989" has been one of the most successful albums in recent years, racking up the fastest first-week sales in the United States since 2002.
AFP
Fri Oct 30 2015
Swift requested a jury trial seeking punitive damages from Mueller, saying that any money would be donated to charitable groups that protect women.
Galak kanak-kanak baca buku kepelbagaian kaum, agama untuk faham, rai perbezaan - Fahmi
Kanak-kanak perlu didedahkan dengan budaya membaca terutama buku mengenai kepelbagaian kaum dan agama di negara ini sebagai usaha melahirkan generasi berpengetahuan.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Ahli keluarga menggigil terima berita kematian Sivasutan
Sivanesan berkata hatinya luluh apabila mengetahui Sivasutan pula disahkan sebagai seorang daripada mangsa yang maut dalam nahas itu.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Adik mahu kakak dikebumi di Sarawak
Pelajar tingkatan empat itu berkata kali terakhir dia bertemu dengan kakaknya pada sambutan Hari Gawai tahun lepas.
Jualan kenderaan baharu Malaysia susut 10 peratus - MAA
Jualan kenderaan baharu Malaysia pada Mac 2024 susut 10 peratus kepada 71,052 unit, berbanding 78,881 yang didaftarkan pada bulan yang sama tahun lepas, kata Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA).
Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Pulau Pinang catat peningkatan penumpang lima peratus pada Mac 2024
Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Pulau Pinang (PEN) merekodkan pertambahan pergerakan penumpang sebanyak lima peratus, meningkat kepada 328,000 daripada 313,000 penumpang pada bulan sebelumnya.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Nahas helikopter Lumut: Wajah semua mangsa sudah dikeluarkan TLDM
HRPB maklumkan bedah siasat mungkin selesai pada Rabu.
LA28: Nurul Izzah Izzati wajar disenaraikan dalam progran Fast Track RTG - Amarjit
Persekutuan Berbasikal Kebangsaan Malaysia (PKBM) percaya pelumba trek wanita negara Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri harus disertakan dalam program Fast Track di bawah inisiatif Road to Gold (RTG) selepa
FINAS taja caruman SKSPS bagi 4,500 penggiat seni selama setahun - Fahmi
FINAS akan menaja 4,500 penggiat seni tanah air di bawah SKSPS Perkeso dengan caruman RM23.30 bagi setiap orang, menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan tajaan bernilai RM104,850.
Gabungan golf dan bola sepak, footgolf sukan santai dan menyeronokkan
Footgolf menggabungkan dua sukan paling popular di dunia iaitu bola sepak dan golf, dengan kaki berfungsi sebagai kayu golf untuk menendang bola sepak saiz lima ke lubang yang ditetapkan.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Misi sekali lagi ditangguhkan, dijangka berlepas pada Jumaat
Ketika ini lokasi kapal memulakan pelayaran akan ditukarkan ke satu lokasi yang akan diumumkan dalam masa terdekat.