Ex-DJ found to have groped Taylor Swift says, 'I never grabbed her'

David Mueller said he may appeal the Denver jury's ruling.

ByABC News
August 15, 2017, 8:46 AM

— -- The former Denver DJ found to have groped Taylor Swift by a Denver jury said there is still “no question” in his mind that he did not grab Swift’s backside during a 2013 meet-and-greet.

“What I’m saying is I didn’t do what they said,” the ex-DJ, David Mueller, told ABC News’ Clayton Sandell after Monday’s court ruling. “I never grabbed her. I never had my hand under her skirt and I can pass a polygraph.”

Mueller contends he “wasn’t ready” for the photo, where he and his then-girlfriend Shannon Melcher posed next to Swift.

“I wasn’t invited to be in the photo,” he said. “I just moved into the shot the best I could.”

The former DJ first sued Swift in 2015, claiming that she falsely accused him of grabbing her backside at the meet-and-greet, causing him to lose his job. Swift then filed a countersuit for assault and battery, claiming that Mueller "took his hand and put it up my dress," according to court documents obtained by ABC News.

Swift testified that she first thought the alleged grope was a mistake but said Mueller did not let go when she lurched away from him.

PHOTO: Taylor Swift, her mother, Andrea, and attorney Jesse Schaudies listen to closing arguments in Denver Federal Court in Denver, Aug. 14, 2017.
Taylor Swift, her mother, Andrea, and attorney Jesse Schaudies listen to closing arguments in Denver Federal Court in Denver, Aug. 14, 2017.

"He did not touch my rib. He did not touch my arm. He did not grab my hand. He grabbed my bare a--," Swift said on the stand.

Last Friday U.S. District Judge William Martinez threw out the former radio host's suit against Swift, saying there was not enough evidence to prove she got him fired from his Denver radio station.

Mueller denied claims that he wanted a payout from Swift when he waited two years to file his lawsuit. The former DJ said in depositions that his damages amounted to about $3 million.

“I asked for something in writing which stated that there was a misunderstanding," Mueller said. "And I can take that to possibly convince someone at a radio station to hire me."

When asked if he wanted no money and just the note, Mueller said, "Absolutely."

The jury voted on Monday after four hours of deliberation to award Swift the $1 she filed for in the civil court case. The jurors -- six women and two men -- also found that the singer's mother, Andrea Swift, and her radio manager, Frank Bell, did not intentionally interfere with Mueller's contract and were not responsible for his firing.

Swift said in a statement after the verdict that her trial was a fight for "anyone silenced by sexual assault" and announced her plans to support sexual assault victims.

“My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard,” the statement read in part. “Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves."

Mueller, who claims he passed two polygraph examinations, said he plans to continue to try to clear his name, which may include appealing the court’s ruling.

ABC News' Michael Rothman contributed to this report.

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