Shilo Sanders testifies as things get heated in Day 2 of bankruptcy trial

DENVER – Former Colorado football player Shilo Sanders testified at his bankruptcy trial here Tuesday, Sept. 1, that a security guard at his school “attacked and assaulted” him in 2015 — not the other way around as a Texas state court found in 2022 when it issued an $11.89 million judgment against Sanders.

Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, testified the security guard, John Darjean, also caused him to fear his life, choked him, caused him to “black out” and starting tearing the skin off his arm when he grabbed it in an attempt to confiscate his phone at school.

Sanders testified he was in “excruciating pain” because of it and was “choke-slammed” by Darjean into a corner, causing him to “hit my head as hard as possibly could happen.”

“I literally have proof of both of his hands tearing my skin off,” Sanders testified.

This is the same security guard whom Sanders owes the $11.89 million judgment and is now fighting at this trial to get out of that debt. This was also the first time Sanders, 26, testified about the incident after not showing up for the civil trial in 2022.

“I was a scared little guy,” Shilo Sanders testified, noting he was only 15 years old at the time. He denied ever striking Darjean, who watched the testimony in court shaking his head in disbelief.

Shilo Sanders‘ football journey has unfolded alongside his father, Deion Sanders, beginning on youth and showcase stages before moving into the college spotlight.

See the early moments that helped shape Sanders’ path in football as his career started to take form.

Above, Team Ballaholics head coach Deion Sanders poses with his son defensive back Shilo Sanders at Camping World Stadium.

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Shilo Sanders‘ football journey has unfolded alongside his father, Deion Sanders, beginning on youth and showcase stages before moving into the college spotlight.

See the early moments that helped shape Sanders’ path in football as his career started to take form.

Above, Team Ballaholics head coach Deion Sanders poses with his son defensive back Shilo Sanders at Camping World Stadium.

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The problem for Sanders is his testimony contradicts what other witnesses have said in the trial so far, as well as other investigations into this case that absolved Darjean of blame. Sanders’ version of events also doesn’t explain why Darjean had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance right after the incident while Sanders walked away from it with no visible injuries.

This was Day 2 of Sanders’ bankruptcy trial, and it got a little heated at the end when Judge Michael Romero raised his voice a little when Darjean’s attorney, Ori Raphael, appeared to be arguing with Sanders on the witness stand.

“Just stop,” Romero told them. “Just ask questions. Just answer his questions. Let’s not get into an argument between the two of you. It’s the end of the day. Tempers are getting a little high.”

Here is what happened Tuesday and what’s at stake.

It’s all about an incident at Shilo Sanders’ school in Dallas on Sept. 17, 2015, when Darjean said he tried to confiscate Sanders’ phone at school pursuant to school policy. Darjean ended up at the hospital shortly afterward because he said Sanders swung a roundhouse elbow into his upper chest and punched him in defiance.

Darjean sued Sanders over it in 2016, accusing him of permanently injuring him that day. The end result of that lawsuit was a $11.89 million default judgment against Sanders after Sanders failed to appear at the trial in 2022.

“Shilo Sanders did in fact cause physical harm and injuries to John Darjean by assaulting him” that day, the judge in the Texas case wrote in her final judgment in 2022.

But then when Darjean tried to collect on that judgment in 2023, Sanders filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy to try to free himself of the debt.

The issue to be determined at trial is whether he can discharge the debt or if he will remain on the hook for it. Under bankruptcy law, debtors are not allowed to discharge debt under certain exceptions, including if the debt stems from a “willful and malicious injury.”

Darjean’s attorney has argued he is not entitled to a discharge because the debt does stem from a willful and malicious injury. That’s what he’s trying to prove.

In Sanders’ defense, Sanders’ attorney, Victor Vital, said at trial Monday his client’s actions were justified that day because he “acted reactively to escape” Darjean and break free from his “manhandling grip.”

“There was no intent to injure,” Vital said. He wants the debt removed accordingly so Sanders can get a “fresh start.”

Deion Sanders also testified at trial Tuesday via a prerecorded video from a prior deposition in Darjean’s Texas lawsuit. The testimony only lasted about a minute under terms of a ruling made by the judge about whether Deion Sanders would testify at this trial.

In this testimony from 2018, Deion Sanders said Darjean called him that day because he was “dealing with a situation with Shilo.” Deion Sanders said he told Darjean to handle it “like you would anybody else.”

By contrast, Shilo Sanders was on the stand close to two-and-a-half hours Tuesday afternoon, when he contradicted previous witnesses whose testimony was shown by video Monday and Tuesday. Those witnesses testified Sanders elbowed Darjean in the throat or punched him or both with no apparent provocation, according to what they saw in person or on surveillance video. None testified Darjean was the aggressor.

Those witnesses also said Shilo Sanders kicked or tossed chairs at the school in an agitated state.

“I don’t know where they were getting that from,” Sanders testified.

He said Darjean had no business touching him at all even though it was his job to confiscate the phone.

“I was just a young kid that just got attacked by a grown man and just got scared for my life for a second, because I was getting choked,’ Sanders said.

Asked why Darjean left in an ambulance that day, Sanders said he didn’t know for sure.

“I don’t know what injuries he could have sustained during that,” Sanders said.

The trial resumes Wednesday with more testimony expected from Shilo Sanders. The trial is expected to last through Friday with a decision from the judge coming after that.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com