Ohio Supreme Court denies Mackenzie Shirilla's latest appeal

The Ohio Supreme Court has denied a motion for reconsideration from Mackenzie Shirilla, effectively ending her state-level appeals process. Shirilla is currently serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life for the 2022 crash in Strongsville, Ohio, which resulted in the deaths of Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19.

Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy issued the ruling, stating, “It is ordered by the court that the motion for reconsideration in this case is denied.” The court previously declined to review her post-conviction appeals in June, ruling that the petition was filed too late. Shirilla’s legal team had argued the delay was due to confusion regarding filing timelines and leap year calendars.

In her post-conviction challenge, Shirilla’s attorneys claimed she received ineffective assistance of counsel, arguing that lawyers failed to investigate whether she suffered from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition that could have caused her to lose consciousness before the impact. While her state appeals have concluded, a petition filed in federal court regarding her constitutional rights to due process remains pending.