John Darjean collapses in court during Shilo Sanders bankruptcy trial

During the fourth day of a bankruptcy trial in Denver, John Darjean, the creditor seeking to collect an $11.89 million judgment, collapsed in court after testifying. Darjean, 50, was taken by ambulance to a hospital and released later that day.

The trial involves Shilo Sanders, a former Colorado football player and son of coach Deion Sanders, who filed for bankruptcy in 2023 in an attempt to discharge the debt. The judgment stems from a 2016 lawsuit regarding a 2015 incident at a Dallas school, where Darjean, then a security guard, alleged he was assaulted by the 15-year-old Sanders while attempting to confiscate a phone. Darjean testified that the incident aggravated spinal injuries, causing ongoing pain and nerve damage.

Judge Michael Romero released Deion Sanders from the requirement to testify on the final day of the trial, though he ordered the coach to remain available virtually. The proceedings will determine if the debt can be erased under bankruptcy law, which prohibits the discharge of debts resulting from ‘willful and malicious injury’.