A Colorado jury has awarded DonQuenick Yvonne Joppy, a registered nurse, $20 million in damages after finding that her former employer, HCA-HealthONE LLC d/b/a The Medical Center of Aurora, discriminated against her on the basis of race and retaliated against her for reporting that discrimination.
The verdict, issued on August 19, 2025, by the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, concluded a years-long legal battle that stemmed from both workplace harassment and the fallout of a high-profile criminal case in which Joppy was accused of manslaughter.
Case Background
Joppy, who joined The Medical Center of Aurora in 2017, alleged in her federal complaint that she faced escalating racial harassment, exclusion from training opportunities, and retaliation for raising concerns about discrimination. According to filings, Joppy was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) that she described as retaliatory, restricted from shared facilities such as break rooms, and falsely accused of misconduct, including theft of a patient’s credit card.
Her termination followed a 2019 end-of-life care incident involving a 94-year-old patient. While prosecutors charged her in 2020 with manslaughter, negligent death of an at-risk person, and neglect of an at-risk person, those charges were dropped in September 2021 “in the interest of justice” after evidence showed she followed a physician’s verbal orders and that the patient died of natural causes.
Joppy alleged in her civil suit that the investigation and termination were rooted in racial bias and perpetuated by supervisors who had previously engaged in discriminatory conduct toward her.
Jury Findings
The jury unanimously determined that Joppy’s termination violated federal civil rights law, constituting both:
- Retaliation for filing complaints of discrimination.
- Race discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The award included:
- $5 million in compensatory damages for emotional distress, reputational harm, and humiliation.
- $15 million in punitive damages, after jurors found that the hospital system acted intentionally and with disregard for Joppy’s federally protected rights.
Legal Proceedings
The lawsuit, filed in April 2022, named HCA-HealthONE, The Medical Center of Aurora, and supervisors Bonnie Andrews and Katie Weihe as defendants. Pre-trial proceedings included extensive discovery disputes, with Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak overseeing rulings on deposition scope and Independent Medical Examinations (IME).
The case proceeded to trial on August 11, 2025, before Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney at the Alfred A. Arraj U.S. District Courthouse in Denver. >> Download the full case documents here
Significance of the Verdict
The decision represents a landmark victory in employment discrimination law, particularly in the healthcare sector, where cases involving patient safety often complicate workplace claims. For Joppy, it also provides public vindication after years of criminal and professional scrutiny.
HCA-HealthONE has not yet issued a public statement in response to the jury’s findings.
Statements and Public Support
- The Medical Center of Aurora had previously denied wrongdoing, calling Joppy a “disgruntled former colleague.”
- Joppy’s attorney noted in earlier filings that the case had left her client nearly unemployable due to the prior manslaughter charges.
- Joppy herself has stated: “My life has been turned upside down. I never killed anyone. I’m a great nurse.”
Community members have rallied around Joppy, with a Facebook support group titled Support for DonQuenick RN continuing to advocate on her behalf.
