Mackenzie Shirilla is now arguing that her trial for killing two friends in crash violated her constitutional rights

Mackenzie Shirilla, who is serving a life sentence for intentionally crashing a vehicle at high-speed into a brick wall and killing two passengers, is arguing in new court filings that her original trial and imprisonment violated her federal constitutional rights. Shirilla, 22, filed a federal habeas corpus petition on Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The filing asks a federal judge to set aside her murder conviction and grant a new trial.In the petition, Shirilla’s new defense lawyers contend that her previous attorneys rendered ineffective assistance, that critical evidence was withheld from the court and that the case was improperly transferred from juvenile court to adult court, as reported by Fox 8 News.Shirilla was convicted of murder in August 2023 following a bench trial in Cuyahoga County. Prosecutors established that in July 2022, Shirilla — who was 17 at the time — accelerated her vehicle to 100 mph down a dead-end street in a Strongsville business park before crashing into a brick wall. The collision killed Shirilla’s boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and their friend, Davion Flanagan. A judge sentenced Shirilla to 15 years to life in prison. Mackenzie Shirilla, the 22-year-old serving a life sentence for intentionally crashing a vehicle and killing two passengers, is arguing that her original trial and imprisonment violated her federal constitutional rights (WKYC)The new court filing outlines several key constitutional challenges surrounding her prosecution. Her new attorneys argue there was insufficient evidence to establish probable cause that Shirilla acted “purposely or knowingly,” which is a legal requirement to transfer a minor to adult court, contending that excessive speed alone does not prove reckless intent. The petition also asserts that police improperly persuaded the coroner’s office to alter the official manner of death from accident to homicide without obtaining required court oversight.Additionally, the filing claims Shirilla was denied her Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses because a deputy medical examiner testified at trial instead of the pathologists who performed the autopsies. Shirilla’s new defense team criticized her trial counsel for failing to object to that testimony and for omitting key evidence, including text messages suggesting Russo instigated a dispute shortly before the crash, proof that Shirilla had traveled to the area to collect a produce order and medical records indicating a pre-existing condition that could cause sudden loss of consciousness.The wrecked car driven by Mackenzie Shirilla on the day she killed her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, and their friend Davion Flanagan, in July 2022 (WKYC)Shirilla’s previous direct appeals and post-conviction filings in state court were unsuccessful, including an application for relief that was dismissed after being submitted one day late. Her attorneys argue in the federal filing that state courts misinterpreted the statute governing those filing deadlines.According to state records, Shirilla currently has two pending state-level filings — one requesting the Eighth District Court of Appeals to reopen her appeal based on trial counsel performance, and another asking the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider her post-conviction relief petition.The federal case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge John Adams. No hearing dates have been scheduled.Shirilla remains incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. Prison records show she will first become eligible for a parole hearing in September 2037. The Independent has contacted Marein & Bradley, the law firm representing Shirilla, for comment.