How Taylor Swift’s $1 Lawsuit Became Symbolic After She Sued a DJ for Groping Her

Taylor Swift continues to win the hearts of her fans and inspire youngsters to be fierce with no remorse. The Grammy-award-winning singer once sued a DJ for groping her inappropriately and guess what? The verdict came out in her favor! In 2017, instead of suing for a hefty sum, the Anti-Hero hitmaker filed the case against DJ Davide Mueller, claiming $1, according to Fox News. She sought not money but to set an example for men who prey on women and believe they can get away with the same.

The decision bench of Denver included a seven-member jury who dropped the bombshell verdict after three hours of deliberation. The incident dates back to 2013 when Swift alleged that the DJ took advantage of a photo shoot and slid his hand around her bare back, down her skirt. The incident shook Swift to the core but she soon fought back. The pop star slapped Mueller with a legal lawsuit. In her deposition, she said, “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.” The statement was also later proved by an alleged photograph showing Mueller groping Swift.

Mueller retaliated and asked for compensation in another lawsuit as he alleged Swift and her mom destroyed his career with the case, in 2015. “The contention that Mr. Mueller lifted Ms. Swift’s skirt and grabbed her bottom, while standing with his girlfriend, in front of Ms. Swift’s photographer and Ms. Swift’s highly trained security personnel, during a company-sponsored, VIP, backstage meet-and-greet, is nonsense,” Mueller’s attorney, M. Gabriel McFarland, in the amended complaint, wrote, as reported by Billboard.

In a countersuit, Swift’s legal team asserted, “Resolution of this counterclaim will demonstrate that Mueller alone was the perpetrator of the humiliating and wrongful conduct targeted against Ms. Swift, and will serve as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts,” as reported by the Washington Post. During the trial, Swift stated, “It was a definite grab. A very long grab. It was completely intentional. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

After the verdict came in favor of the young pop star, she shared in a statement thanking the jury, “I want to thank Judge William J. Martinez and the jury for their careful consideration, my attorneys Doug Baldridge, Danielle Foley, Jay Schaudies, and Katie Wright for fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault, and especially anyone who offered their support throughout this four-year ordeal and two-year long trial process.”

She added, “I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society, and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. I hope to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves,” according to Pitchfork.