Judge to decide if claims should be tossed in Taylor Swift trial; closing statements set for Monday

DENVER – The trial involving Taylor Swift and a former Denver radio DJ who allegedly grabbed her rear end during a photo shoot before a 2013 concert in Denver neared its end Friday, as the judge set closing statements for Monday while he decided whether several claims in the original suit should be dismissed.

After a morning of testimony from Swift’s former bodyguard, radio DJ David Mueller’s cohost, and Mueller’s girlfriend, Swift’s lawyer, J. Douglas Baldridge, argued in a private meeting between the lawyers and the judge that the claims in the original civil suit should be tossed in a Rule 50 motion, and that Taylor Swift herself should be removed from the suit altogether.

“Mr. Mueller’s beef is with KYGO, it’s not with my client,” Baldridge told the judge.

Baldridge argued that Mueller’s team didn’t offer any evidence to support the five claims Mueller made against Swift, her mother, her manager and other staffers. He also argued that Taylor herself should be removed from the original suit altogether.

But she also still has a counterclaim against Mueller over assault and battery claims that would still be active even if the claims in the original suit are tossed.

“Please, after this ordeal, release Ms. Swift from this case,” Baldridge said. “Ms. Swift is out of this case.”

Baldridge and his team decided not to call any witnesses in the counterclaim after Mueller’s attorney, Gabe McFarland, wrapped his questioning earlier that day of Mueller’s ex-girlfriend, Shannon Melcher.

Since there would be no further evidence presented in the case and no more witnesses called Friday, Judge William Martinez sent the jury home for the day around 3 p.m. He told them to report back at 9:30 a.m. Monday to receive instructions before closing statements are made to the court.

But Martinez still had work to do Friday afternoon: He has to decide what claims in Mueller’s original suit against Swift, et. al, still stand up and can be decided upon by a jury—a ruling in regards to Baldridge’s Rule 50 motion to have some of the claims tossed.

It’s unclear when that decision will come Friday afternoon, but U.S. District Court of Colorado, where the trial is being held, closes at 6 p.m.

There are several options on the table for Martinez. He could remove all the claims against Taylor Swift only; remove some of the claims against all the defendants; keep Taylor Swift on as a defendant and not remove any claims against her and the other defendants; or remove all the claims against all the defendants from the original suit.

Should the last possibility become reality, Swift’s counterclaim against Mueller would be the only thing the jury decides a verdict on.

We will update this story once Judge Martinez makes his decision Friday afternoon.

Read back on this morning’s happenings, including Swift’s bodyguard’s testimony, by clicking here.

You can also read back through our live blog for more details.