An alleged assault photo in which a man appears to grab Taylor Swift's butt has leaked even after the chart-topping singer tried to keep the picture sealed in court documents.
The photo was part of a lawsuit involving Swift and a former Denver DJ David Mueller, who the singer charged assaulted her while taking a picture with him and another woman during a 2013 meet-and-greet in Denver.
"Swift asked a judge to keep the photo under wraps on grounds it would prejudice the potential jury," TMZ wrote Saturday in a story with the alleged leaked photo. "It's hard to see how this pic unduly prejudices anyone."
Mueller was fired from the radio station KYGO after Swift claimed the DJ grabbed her buttock and her management team brought the allegation to the company, wrote Billboard magazine.
The radio personality sued Swift in 2015 for slander and alleged interference in his contract with KYGO, noted Billboard. Swift then counter sued for assault and battery, stated the music magazine.
Swift's attorneys recently filed a motion to dismiss Mueller's lawsuit, claiming that KYGO's internal investigation led to Mueller's firing and not any action taken by the singer's management, stated Billboard.
In turn, Mueller's attorneys have asked for a summary judgement, stating that Swift's story was not believable, noted Billboard.
"The contention that Mr. Mueller lifted up Ms. Swift's skirt and grabbed her bare ass (while standing with his girlfriend, in front of Ms. Swift's photographer and other staff, as well as Ms. Swift's highly trained security personnel, during an employer sponsored, VIP, backstage meet-and- greet) defies credibility," they wrote.
In her deposition connected with the case, taken July 26 and released publicly last month, Swift stated she felt violated during the photo with Mueller, according to Billboard.
"Right as the moment came for us to pose for the photo, he took his hand and put it up my dress and grabbed onto my ass cheek and no matter how much I scooted over it was still there," Swift said in the deposition, which was obtained by Billboard in October.
"I remember being frantic, distressed, feeling violated in a way I had never experienced before," she continued. "A meet-and-greet is supposed to be a situation where you're thanking people for coming, you're supposed to be welcoming people into your home, which is the arena for that day, and for someone to violate that hospitality in that way, I was completely stunned."