Shilo Sanders faces Denver bankruptcy trial over $11 million assault judgment

A bankruptcy bench trial for Shilo Sanders begins in downtown Denver, focusing on whether a $11.89 million judgment from a 2015 school altercation qualifies as a dischargeable debt. The judgment arose after security guard John Darjean sued Sanders for assault and obtained a default verdict when Sanders failed to appear in a 2022 Dallas trial. After filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023, Sanders seeks to wipe out the debt, but the creditor argues the claim falls under the "willful and malicious injury" exception in section 523.

The judge will hear evidence, including video clips from the earlier Texas case, to assess Sanders’ state of mind. Deian Sanders, now Colorado’s football coach, could be required to testify only if his son’s counsel opens that line of questioning. A loss would keep the judgment alive, while a win would clear a major hurdle toward discharge, though other creditor complaints remain pending.