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Shirilla's Appeal Denied: Leap Year Blunder Costs Day
2 Sep
Summary
- Mackenzie Shirilla's appeal was denied due to a filing deadline miss.
- Attorneys cited leap year confusion for the missed deadline.
- The case gained attention with Netflix's 'The Crash' documentary.
Mackenzie Shirilla, convicted of killing two individuals, recently suffered a legal setback when her attorneys' motion for reconsideration was denied. The Ohio Supreme Court chose not to review her case, upholding a previous ruling that her post-conviction challenge was submitted one day beyond the established deadline.
Shirilla's legal defense team argued that a calendar error involving the 2024 leap year contributed to the missed filing date. They sought to present claims of ineffective counsel, particularly regarding the alleged failure to adequately investigate Shirilla's medical condition, POTS, which they claimed could have caused a loss of consciousness.
The legal proceedings have primarily focused on the procedural issue of the filing deadline rather than the substantive arguments of the defense. The court determined that Shirilla's petition was filed on the 366th day after the trial transcript was filed, missing the 365-day limit.
Her case has garnered significant public attention, amplified by the recent release of the Netflix documentary titled 'The Crash.' Shirilla, who was convicted in 2023, has maintained her innocence, asserting the fatal 2022 crash was not intentional.
