Episode 27

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Published on:

10th Jun 2025

Sean Dormer and Spencer Bryan – Groundbreaking $4M Verdict in Jail Suicide

Text messages and surveillance footage revealed the horrific truth: A jail inmate told staff, "I'm trying to kill myself right now," yet they did nothing. Eight hours later, he was found dead. Sean Dormer returns for his third podcast appearance alongside civil rights attorney Spencer Bryan to discuss their groundbreaking $4 million verdict on behalf of the inmate’s family. Host Keith Fuicelli explores how they overcame the deliberately indifferent standard, defeated qualified immunity at the 10th Circuit, and secured what appears to be Colorado's largest jail suicide verdict. Their victory came despite defense counsel telling jurors that the inmate "valued his life at nothing because he killed himself."

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Episode Snapshot

  • An inmate named Jackson told jail staff "I'm trying to kill myself right now" while banging his head against the cell wall
  • The jail captain repeated Jackson's words, acknowledging he heard the suicidal statement, yet no suicide watch was implemented.
  • One jailer was criminally charged for falsifying cell check logs, claiming he checked on Jackson when he never did.
  • Jackson's body wasn't discovered for eight hours despite industry standards requiring hourly checks for non-suicidal inmates.
  • The trial team overcame qualified immunity challenges and prevailed at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Colorado Open Records Act requests revealed inconsistent police reports and preserved crucial surveillance footage
  • Defense strategy backfired when counsel told jurors that Jackson "valued his life at nothing because he killed himself."
  • The $4 million verdict appears to be Colorado's largest jail suicide award and among the top 10 nationally.
  • In an emotional courtroom moment, Jackson’s mother forgave the young deputy who falsified logs.

The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.

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About the Podcast

Colorado Trial Lawyer Connection
The pursuit of justice starts here.

Join host Keith Fuicelli as we uncover the stories, strategies, and lessons from Colorado trial lawyers to help you and your clients achieve justice in the courtroom.

Our goal is to bridge the gap between theory and practice—connecting you to the proven strategies that work from the state’s most accomplished litigators—to sharpen your own skills in the pursuit of justice.

If this podcast is bringing value to your practice, be sure to subscribe and join us on every episode as we dissect real cases, learn from Colorado's top trial lawyers, and empower our legal community to reach greater heights of success. Keep your connection to Colorado’s best trial lawyers alive at https://www.TheCTLC.com

Ready to refer or collaborate on a case? The personal injury attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee can help. Visit our attorney referral page at https://TheCTLC.com/refer or call our Denver office at (303) 444-4444.

Fuicelli & Lee (https://coloradoinjurylaw.com) is a personal injury law firm dedicated to representing clients across Colorado who have suffered catastrophic injuries due to someone’s reckless or careless actions. Our top areas of focus include: car accidents, brain injury/TBI, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death claims, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, dog bites, construction accidents, slip & fall/premises liability, and product liability.

The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.