It’s been more than a decade since Deion Sanders’ son, Shilo Sanders, began his legal battle after allegedly assaulting his high school security guard, John Darjean, in September 2015. It’s also been more than half a decade since he began fighting the case alone after his parents were dropped from Darjean’s lawsuit.
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Shilo is set to face his bankruptcy trial on August 31. While the trial could help the former Colorado DB escape his $11.9 million debt, his attorney is reportedly prepared to use his parents’ divorce and family drama to argue that Shilo acted against Darjean in self-defense, per a recently disclosed private hearing from July 14.
“What I’m going to argue is that he didn’t want to give up his phone because he believed his mom was his only lifeline, and he feared what would happen if he did not have a connection to his mom,” Sanders’ attorney Victor Vital said, as reported by USA Today. “He’s only 15 years old, so that’s the argument. So there’s two things happening at the same time. He’s defying authority, but he’s defying authority for a reason.”
The incident allegedly began during a dispute involving Sanders’ cellphone. Darjean later alleged that Sanders assaulted him, causing serious and permanent injuries. Sanders, meanwhile, has consistently maintained that he acted in self-defense.
As that went down, Darjean filed a civil lawsuit against Sanders and his mom, Pilar Sanders, and dad, Deion Sanders, in 2016. By 2019, the court dismissed Shilo’s parents from the lawsuit, and the case continued against Shilo personally. As the case escalated, Sanders’ attorneys withdrew from representing him in the civil case after he was described in court records as unwilling or unable to continue funding the defense.
The case went to trial in March 2022. However, Shilo failed to appear, and the Dallas County court entered a default judgment against him. Darjean was awarded $11.89 million. But while Dajean initiated efforts to collect the amount, Sanders filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Judge Romero held a hearing on the disputed evidence on July 14 this year. The hearing was conducted privately because some of the material involved Sanders when he was a minor. However, after USA Today filed a motion to intervene in the case to challenge the secrecy surrounding some proceedings and records, Judge Romero granted the motion, specifically on the issue of public access and transparency.
On August 12, Judge Romero ordered that redacted versions of previously secret court documents be released. This includes a transcript from a July 14 hearing that was completely closed to outside observers. Per the transcript, Sanders’ attorney revealed his plans to Judge Romero ahead of the August 31 trial, addressing that Sanders was involved in the middle of acrimonious family relations between his parents. Shilo Sanders’ parents finalized their divorce in 2013.
At the same time, however, Darjean’s attorney, Ori Raphael, also acknowledged his plans, explaining that Sanders acted willfully and maliciously.
“He’s going to be sitting on the stand,” Raphael said of Shilo, as reported by USA Today. “I want to ask, ‘Well, when your father called and told you to do something, which you defied and said no to him, did that make you upset? Did it upset you the fact that Deion, your father, called Darjean and told Darjean, who was also his subordinate at the school, to take your phone? Did that upset you because you have anger to your father?’ At that time, he kept running away from his father to be with his mother.”
Judge Romero said this type of questioning could be relevant if the events discussed occurred on the day of the September 2015 incident. But at the same time, Judge Romero noted that the evidence at trial should be limited to a specific timeframe and remain directly relevant to the incident.
If Shilo’s attorney proves that he acted in self-defense, that could support allowing the debt to be discharged. However, if Judge Romero decides that Sanders’ actions caused a willful and malicious injury, the debt could be considered non-dischargeable. This is why the August 31 trial carries significant weight for Sanders.
Judge Romero sustained USA Today’s objection for August 31 trial
In its motion filing, USA Today objected to any attempt to close the entire August 31 bankruptcy trial to the public. Judge Romero, meanwhile, sustained that objection. At the same time, however, Judge Romero argued that if evidence involving Shilo Sanders’ juvenile records comes up, he can make decisions case by case about whether that specific evidence should remain private or be sealed.
“Darjean may offer juvenile records as exhibits, and/or witnesses may discuss juvenile records,” the judge’s order stated, per USA Today. “Assuming that evidence or testimony is deemed relevant, the Court will determine on an ad hoc basis whether preventing public access to those records is necessary. The offered exhibits will not be part of the public record unless and until the Court admits such exhibit.”
“However, the Court notes that, to the extent any juvenile records are necessary to determine the parties’ substantive legal rights at trial, there is an even stronger presumption of public access. Sanders’ interests in privacy of his juvenile records may well give way to the interests in public access if those records are relevant and necessary.”
That said, while the trial will generally be public, certain sensitive records from when Sanders was a minor could still be temporarily or partially kept from public view if the judge believes that is necessary.