Jury selection starts Monday ahead of the Taylor Swift trial in Denver.
The music superstar is expected to testify against a former KYGO radio personality who has been accused of sexually assaulting Swift.
The jury selection is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Monday. A jury of eight will be seated, according to the court clerk. Opening statements will likely start on Tuesday.
The A-list celebrity, with more than 85 million Twitter followers, is ready to tell the jury that she was groped during a meet-and-greet event before a concert at the Pepsi Center in 2013.
The man she is accusing of assaulting her was, at the time, working as a deejay at KYGO-FM. David Mueller, denies doing anything wrong.
The facts that are being disputed are so starkly different, ” University of Denver law professor Nantiya Ruan said.
Ruan said the case all boils down to who the jury will find more credible.
Court documents state Mueller, known on the radio as “Jackson,” was fired two days after Swift’s manager complained to his bosses.
The trial is not criminal. It was sparked by a lawsuit filed by Mueller against Swift.
What you have is the alleged perpetrator hauling the defendant into court to say that you interfered with my employment relationship and you should be held accountable for that, ” Ruan explained. That, frankly, is rare. ”
Mueller claims Swift cost him his job and he wants to be compensated, according to court records. But a pretrial court document indicates Swift, refusing to settle, will confidently testify against Mueller.
Legal experts said a picture of Swift and Mueller posing together, leaked to TMZ, could be key to the singer’s victory.
Swift said Mueller slipped his hand up her dress and grabbed her bare bottom.
That [picture] is going to be a critical piece of evidence, ” Ruan said.
Swift has filed a countersuit against Mueller over the alleged groping. The music superstar, who is 27 years old, was 23 when she said she was assaulted. Mueller was 51.
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