In high-stakes wrongful death cases, the most important evidence is often the human story.
We’re proud to have supported John Demas and Tim Spangler of Demas Law Group in a recent wrongful death trial that resulted in a $32.1 million plaintiff’s verdict—one of the largest of its kind in Northern California.
The case arose from a tragic collision involving a Sacramento police detective that took the life of a young father, leaving behind his two minor children.
The Exhibit One team was engaged to create a confidential settlement/mediation video, designed to present the full emotional and factual weight of the loss. But what made this case different is what happened next. Although the video is intended for use only in mediation, select portions of that video were used at trial, which is extremely rare.
Brothers Juan Carlos Rodriguez and Lionel Rodriguez were fatally struck on I-5 by Sacramento Police Det. Jonathan Thomas Nangle in December 2022.
A Different Kind of Trial Presentation
As part of the film, we conducted in-depth interviews with the decedent’s children; capturing their loss, their memories, and the impact of losing their father. Instead of requiring the children to testify in court, their voices were presented to the jury through carefully crafted video excerpts. This allowed us to present their testimony without having to put them through the trauma of calling them live. To make this strategic decision work, the clips had to be strong and needed to really capture the kids’ loss effectively.
The result:
- Authentic, emotionally resonant testimony
- Clear, controlled narrative presentation
- Protection of vulnerable witnesses from additional trauma
- A format the jury could absorb and retain
In a wrongful death case, those moments are not peripheral. They are central.
More Than a Video – A Trial Asset
Mediation videos are often treated as a one-time tool. In this case, it became something more: A dual-purpose asset that supported both negotiation and trial.
When built correctly, these films can:
- Reinforce case themes from the earliest stages
- Preserve powerful testimony in its most natural form and remain trial-ready if resolution doesn’t occur.
That continuity matters. Because trial is not just about evidence. It’s about how the story is experienced.
Built for High-Stakes Plaintiff Litigation
We partner with trial teams to create:
- Settlement and mediation films
- Day-in-the-life and human damages storytelling
- Trial-ready video excerpts
- Integrated visual presentation strategy
All designed with one objective:
Helping juries understand what happened and emotionally connect to all the elements of what was lost.
Ready for Your Next Case?
If you are preparing a wrongful death case, or any matter where the human story is central, the Exhibit One production team can help you build video and visual strategy that carries from mediation through verdict.
