LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Taylor Swift’s sexual harassment battle against the fired disc jockey, David Mueller, is still not over. Although the famous singer-songwriter has already won the court case, Mueller has yet to pay her the symbolic $1 settlement.
Swift, 27, told reporters on Wednesday that Mueller, who lost his job as Denver 98.5 KYGO radio station DJ following the 2013 sexual harassment incident, has failed to disburse the $1 even after the verdict was given four months ago, according to the U.S. Magazine.
The Grammy Award-winning artist accused the disc jockey of groping her rear end during a fan event in June 2013, and it resulted in a court battle between the two. The said event was part of Swift’s RED tour at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
According to reports, Mueller’s then-girlfriend Shannon Melcher posed with Swift for a picture, and the former was invited to join in at the “last second.” The photo has circulated online since then, and Mueller appeared to be actually touching the singer’s buttocks.
Swift reportedly did not humiliate the couple right then and there and even courteously said goodbye before leaving. Instead, there were Swift’s bodyguards who confronted Mueller, saying that he tactlessly groped her. Two days later, the radio station fired him.
Mueller was the first one to file a lawsuit, claiming that Swift’s security personnel verbally abused him before ushering him away. He also demanded a $3 million settlement as a result of him losing his job. It was reported that Mueller is earning a yearly income of $150,000.
Swift then filed a countersuit in October 2015, seeking only $1 in damages from Mueller. The amount was said to be only a “symbolic gesture” for her to get over the sexual harassment experience. Swift also said that the lawsuit was just to raise awareness of the women’s rights in these kinds of incidents.
The trial concluded in August of this year with the jury ruling Mueller guilty of the sexual harassment charges. However, Swift has yet to receive the figurative $1 payment.
Swift has since been named as one of Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” awardees, together with the group of artists called “The Silence Breakers.” The publication said to have intended the recognition to commend them for coming forward and bringing awareness to the issue on a national or even global level.
Swift said that despite the win, the experience of having to go through a court trial is sad and “draining,” but she welcomed it to make a stand for people who are in the same situation.
Swift then revealed that while she demanded a symbolic $1, Mueller’s defiance to pay her is also symbolic.
Swift explained that at that time, she felt it was important for her to report Mueller to the company he works for. Swift said she was concerned about what could happen to other young artists if ever a different opportunity for Mueller comes along.
Swift initially received backlash after the news went out that Mueller was fired. But as soon as she testified in the court as the defendant, the public gradually switched sides and supported her during the sexual harassment trial.
