Two witness depositions on Monday identified Shilo Sanders as the aggressor in a 2015 incident in Texas where school security guard John Darjean claimed Sanders assaulted him, leaving him permanently injured.
The depositions were heard in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Denver on Monday morning in the first day of a trial that could determine whether Sanders will be required to pay Darjean more than $11 million after filing for bankruptcy.
Ori Raphael, Darjean’s lawyer, showed two witness depositions on Monday, one from a student and another from a staff member, who identified Sanders as the aggressor in the incident. They each independently testified that Darjean responded by trying to restrain Sanders in a professional way.
“Mr. Darjean had supervisory care of Shilo Sanders, and he was doing his job,” Raphael said during opening statements. “Self defense does not apply.”
Sanders’ attorney Victor Vital said during opening statements that it was Darjean who physically overpowered Sanders, who was a 15-year-old student at the time. The altercation began after Darjean approached Sanders at the school’s gym and asked for his phone. Vital said the video evidence will show Sanders first intended to get away from Darjean and not to harm or injure him. He also questioned the witness’s credibility and accounts, acknowledging that 11 years have passed since the incident.
“The evidence will show Shilo did not act with the (malicious and willful) intent,” Vital said.
Darjean sued Sanders and won an $11.89 million default judgment in Texas in 2022 when Sanders neglected to show up in court. Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and now hopes to discharge, or erase, the more than $11 million in debt owed to Darjean.
The judge in the current case, Michael E. Romero, will determine whether Sanders acted willfully and maliciously during the 2015 incident. Under U.S. bankruptcy law, debts resulting from a “willful and malicious injury” cannot be discharged by filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Shilo Sanders is the son of CU Buffs head football coach Deion Sanders and is a former CU player.
Deion Sanders will be available virtually at 1:30 p.m. MDT Friday in case his testimony is needed in his son’s trial. His possible virtual court appearance is scheduled the day after the Buffs’ season opener on Thursday at Georgia Tech.
This story will be updated.
