DENVER — A photographer claims in a civil lawsuit that former Denver Broncos quarterback Chad Kelly broke his nose during an assault at Von Miller's Halloween party at The Gothic Theater in 2018.
Jackson Belcher is suing for damages for pain and suffering and economic losses, as well as medical costs and the cost of his camera.
He was hired to work as a photographer and videographer at the private party on Oct. 22, 2018, according to the suit.
It alleges that Kelly "became highly intoxicated and belligerent" at the party and when Belcher went to retrieve a camera upstairs around 10:30 p.m., Kelly "inexplicably grabbed him by the shoulders and began pushing him into a group of bystanders."
> The video above is from a security camera on the morning of Kelly's arrest.
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Two witnesses said Belcher "did nothing to provoke Kelly," the lawsuit says.
Kelly then punched Belcher "directly on the bridge of the nose," which resulted in a broken nose, a closed head injury and a concussion, the suit alleges. The suit also alleges that Belcher underwent four surgeries to repair damage caused by Kelly.
Belcher's professional camera, which he said was valued at $14,000 was damaged "beyond repair," according to the suit.
Kelly then fought with security guards, who were eventually able to restrain him and remove him from the party, the lawsuit alleges.
Several hours later, in the early morning hours of Oct. 23, Kelly was arrested for trespassing. Englewood police officers responded to an address in the 3200 block of South Lincoln Street following a report of a man standing outside a residence.
According to an arrest affidavit, the man — later identified as Kelly — entered the home, sat down on the couch next to a woman inside and began mumbling incoherently.
The woman called for another resident in the home, who entered the living room and hit the man in the upper back with a stick, which police later determined to be an aluminum pipe from a vacuum cleaner, the affidavit says.
Kelly was chased out of the home, according to the affidavit, and was located a short time later sitting inside a black SUV outside the Gothic Theater.
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In March 2019, Kelly pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of second-degree criminal trespassing. As part of the deal, Kelly, 25, will serve no jail time and must serve one year of supervised probation and perform 50 hours of community service.
He had originally been charged with first-degree criminal trespassing. If convicted on that charge, he faced up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Belcher's lawsuit also notes Kelly's prior behavior, which included him being dismissed from the Clemson University football team for "detrimental conduct."
In response to the lawsuit, Kelly denied all allegations, but admitted to being at the Gothic Theater that night where he "may have consumed alcohol." He also disputed claims in the suit that Belcher was not aggressive.
Kelly's attorneys also called his prior behavior "immaterial and impertinent" to this case.
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