Mackenzie Shirilla's federal petition still pending, Dominic Russo's sister clarifies

Mackenzie Shirilla's federal petition to reopen her post-conviction challenge has reportedly hit another roadblock. The reason is that the Ohio Supreme Court refused to revisit its previous decision declining to accept jurisdiction over her earlier post-conviction appeal. The court's refusal stands on the fact that her petition had been filed one day late, and Tuesday's decision came without any written explanations.

Dominic Russo's sister Christine Russo recently clarified the online confusion on The Big Sister: Unhinged podcast and explained what was actually refused. She clarified the important difference between Mackenzie Shirilla's earlier state court hearings and the separate habeas corpus case. She revealed:

"The habeas corpus is still pending."

Mackenzie is currently serving a life sentence after being found guilty of murder in the deaths of her boyfriend Dominic Russo and their friend Davion Flanagan in 2023. She will have her first chance at parole after completing 15 years in prison after the recent court rejection.

Continue reading more about the story.

Christine clarified the difference between Mackenzie Shirilla's pending cases

In The Big Sister: Unhinged, Christine went live with the co-host of the podcast and revealed what the Ohio Supreme Court actually denied. The court rejected a request from Mackenzie's lawyers to review the motion after the deadline, but on June 23, the court denied her request.

Her attorneys then submitted a motion and asked the court to reconsider, but that was also denied on September 1. In addition, Mackenzie's lawyers had filed a federal petition for a writ of habeas corpus and asked that her convictions be overturned and she be granted a new trial. That petition is still pending in the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Ohio. In the podcast, Christine clarified about the habeas corpus and the co-host further stated:

"We still got the major one pending, which I have no faith it's going to move forward. I really don't, but it is still pending, and it's a little nerve-wracking for us, you know?"

The hosts explained that the habeas corpus case is still waiting for a decision. They revealed that the most important case is still unresolved, and that they have no confidence in whether the case will move forward or not. The co-host admitted it remained pending, and the delay made the situation stressful for them.

Mackenzie Shirilla's federal habeas corpus petition

The Columbus Dispatch reported that on July 31, 2022, Mackenzie was driving the car at nearly 100 mph with Dominic and Davion in the car, and soon after, the car crashed into a building in Strongsville.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors charged Mackenzie with the murder of Dominic and Davion. Evidence revealed that the accelerator was fully engaged at the time of the crash and no efforts were made to apply the brake.

On July 28, Mackenzie's new lawyer submitted a federal habeas corpus petition in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The petition asked the judge to overturn her conviction, claiming violations of several constitutional rights, including poor legal representation and lack of sufficient evidence. The case is still waiting for a decision.

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