A seven-year legal ordeal has culminated in a significant lawsuit filed against multiple defendants, including county officials and law enforcement officers. The complaint was lodged by Mason Shannon on November 22, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Shannon accuses Karen Donnelly, George Mueller, Gregory Sticka, William Norman, Josh McGrath, Adam Diss, Thomas Pocivasek, and the County of LaSalle of engaging in prosecutorial misconduct and violating his civil rights.
The case traces back to July 20, 2017, when Shannon was charged with involuntary manslaughter following the death of Michael Castelli. According to the complaint, Shannon endured years of distress due to a conspiracy between the LaSalle County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff's Office. This alleged conspiracy involved presenting false forensic evidence and concealing exculpatory information. Shannon's acquittal on March 14, 2024, marked the end of his legal nightmare but also sparked this lawsuit seeking justice for what he describes as a deliberate attempt to ruin his life.
Shannon's attorneys argue that the actions taken by prosecutors and police were not only unethical but also unlawful under several statutes. They claim violations of constitutional rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 due to fabricated evidence and wrongful prosecution. The complaint details how key evidence was manipulated or withheld during both trials. For instance, an expert opinion by Dr. Valerie Arangelovich was allegedly altered after communication with prosecutors to falsely conclude that Castelli had been choked to death—a conclusion pivotal in charging Shannon with murder.
Furthermore, it is alleged that bias played a role in misleading judicial processes for search warrants based on irrelevant personal details about Shannon's sexual orientation. Misconduct extended to securing perjured testimony from witnesses like Jordan Wilkinson through plea deals that minimized their own criminal liabilities.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress and loss of liberty caused by these alleged actions. The relief sought includes holding each defendant accountable for their roles in this prolonged miscarriage of justice.
Representing Mason Shannon are attorneys Kyler W. Juckins and Thomas J. Manzella from Block, Klukas, Manzella & Shell P.C., while Judge Howard Christopher Ryan initially presided over the trial before recusing himself due to conflict-of-interest concerns involving marital income from court transcripts prepared by his wife.