$24 million - Largest Civil Rights Verdict In Colorado History
By: Ben Markus, CPR
In May 2022, Robert Dial flew from his home in New Jersey to Colorado to help his son, who was involved in a shooting. To his surprise, as he got off the plane at Denver International Airport, he was greeted by a group of police officers and was arrested for accessory to murder and tampering with evidence.
One of the officers present at the airport was former Parker Detective Shannon Brukbacher, who signed a sworn affidavit for his arrest.
Dial said he lost his job in the financial industry because of the charges, which were eventually dropped. His attorneys say the case effectively ended his career in that field.
Dial sued Brukbacher in state court, and on Monday was awarded $24 million in damages from a Douglas County jury. Dial’s attorneys believe it’s the largest civil rights verdict of its kind in Colorado.
Now comes the hard part: collecting.
It’s unclear if or when Dial will see any of that money — his attorneys said in an interview they believe that the Town of Parker is fully responsible for paying the verdict. But years of appeals are possible.
“While the Town is disappointed with the verdict, we respect the judicial process,” reads a statement from a spokesman for the Town of Parker. “However, we believe the evidence presented in the case warranted a different outcome. Staff is thoroughly reviewing the trial and verdict to evaluate all available options, including the potential for an appeal. The Town will ensure compliance with all binding court orders while conducting its review.”
What happened to Robert Dial?
The case grew out of a February 2022 incident, when Dial received a call that his son, Cameron, had been involved in a shooting at his residence in Parker. Dial’s attorneys said that Brukbacher, who was investigating the case, was upset that Dial obtained an attorney for his son.
“She was angry that he hired his son a lawyer, and asked to have the lawyer involved in questioning, which was perfectly legal and was his right to do,” said David Maxted with Maxted Law LLC. “And she decided to retaliate against them, and swore out a false affidavit and pushed forward a false criminal case against an innocent man. And it ruined his career and dragged his name through the mud, ruined his reputation.”
According to the civil complaint, Brukbacher’s arrest affidavit relied on a witness who claimed Dial told his son to hide a firearm. Dial’s attorneys said the firearm in this case was not hidden — officers found it immediately — and that the witness had serious credibility issues.
“The only evidence that connected him to doing anything wrong was her word, and the physical evidence did not support it,” said Kathryn Stimson, co-counsel for Dial. “And what the detective did was cherry pick which parts of her inconsistent statements she wanted to put together to craft this false narrative against our client, Rob Dial.”
Charges against Robert Dial were dropped within months, but the damage was done. Dial’s attorneys say the charges triggered reporting requirements tied to his FINRA license, damaging his ability to continue working in the financial industry.
“And that is not expungable. So he can never work in the same industry as he was working because that will forever be on his FINRA license,” said Stimson.
A 2020 law enforcement accountability law has led to large verdicts
Dial’s attorneys sued Brukbacher using a law enforcement accountability law passed in Colorado in 2020, in the aftermath of the protests over George Floyd’s murder in Minnesota.
The Dial verdict follows another large police-misconduct verdict under the same law. Last year, a Denver jury awarded $19.75 million to six bystanders injured when former Denver Police officer Brandon Ramos fired into a crowd in LoDo. Attorneys in that case have argued Denver is responsible for paying the award.
Brukbacher retired from Parker Police Department in 2024, and in a social media post, the department praised her service.
“She earned a Distinguished Service Cross for her response in rescuing a victim targeted by gunfire. She received a Meritorious Service Award, seven Chief's Unit Commendations, four Letters of Recognition, three Chief's Commendations and a Department Commendation throughout her 26-year career,” reads a 2024 Facebook post from the Parker Police Department.
In a statement, Tom Mustin, a spokesman for the 23rd Judicial District, which includes Douglas County, said they’re making disclosures in cases where Brukbacher was involved.
“After learning of the May 11, 2026 civil verdict against former detective Shannon Brukbacher, the District Attorney’s Office for the 23rd Judicial District has begun the process of disclosing that verdict in cases where former detective Shannon Brukbacher has been endorsed as a witness. The District Attorney’s Office is also reviewing whether further disclosures should be made to fulfill our Brady obligations.”
Brady obligations require prosecutors to disclose evidence that may be favorable to the defense, including evidence that goes to the credibility of a prosecution witness. Stimson represented Dial’s son in the felony shooting case, and said two charges were dismissed because of what she described as Brukbacher’s Brady violations.
For much of Brukbacher’s career, Parker cases were handled by prosecutors in the 18th Judicial District, before Douglas County became part of the new 23rd Judicial District in 2025. A spokesman for the 18th Judicial District did not immediately respond to a question about whether that office is making similar disclosures.
Dial’s son eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in 2024 and is currently serving a sentence in the Department of Corrections. Dial, meanwhile, feels “completely vindicated,” according to his attorney David Maxted.
“He hopes that this sends a message so it doesn’t happen to somebody else, that departments take this seriously and ensure their officers respect people’s rights and don’t maliciously prosecute them,” Maxted said.