Taylor Swift's not quite the hero TIME magazine made her out to be, because she didn't want to take the stand in the "butt grabbing" trial ... she was forced to do so, according to David Mueller.
Mueller, the accused butt grabber, thinks Taylor didn't deserve the Person of the Year cover because he's the one who sued her for getting him fired. Plus, he points out Taylor fought at every turn to keep the case out of the public eye -- and only showed up to testify when the judge ordered it.
He thinks TIME was just trying to sell magazines, and overreached to connect Taylor to the nationwide flood of sexual assault victims coming forward.
He also explains the real reason why he paid Taylor with a $1 Sacagawea coin. As we reported ... Taylor won her counter suit against Mueller for sexual assault.