Forty-six year old Mason Shannon of Iowa still faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in the 2017 death of 32-year old Michael Castelli. Shannon’s accused of putting the Ottawa man in a chokehold far beyond what was necessary to defend himself in a struggle northeast of Ottawa. Since Judge H. Chris Ryan found Shannon guilty in 2018, other judges have looked into the defense’s claims that the case was mishandled.
Kankakee County Judge William Dickenson today ruled there’s no evidence of bias or judicial overreach on the part of Judge H. Chris Ryan. Dickenson also ruled there’s no evidence that former State’s Attorney Karen Donnelly mishandled a failing case intending to get Shannon to ask for a mistrial so she could start over. And he ruled there’s no double jeopardy, because although another judge tossed Ryan’s verdict, the original condition of legal jeopardy never ended.
Shannon’s attorneys will ask Judge Dickenson to reconsider his ruling, and they may be able to appeal, before any new trial date is set.