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Suspect cleared in rural Ottawa death sues La Salle County – again · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Suspect cleared in rural Ottawa Death Sous Salle County again. Written by
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  Tom Collins This article is being read by an automated voice brought
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  to you by Everlett. An Iowa man, prosecuted for homicide in Salle
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  County and eventually acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, has once again sued the
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  county. Mason Shannon filed a lawsuit Friday in LaSalle County Circuit Court,
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  alleging malicious prosecution, among other charges, against named members of the LaSalle
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  County State's attorney and sheriff's offices. LaSalle County State's Attorney Joe Navarro
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  said Monday he had not yet reviewed the recently filed lawsuit and
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  declined to comment at this stage of the case. Shannon's legal troubles
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  began in summer 2017 during a struggle with Michael Costelli, who died,
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  at then Bonnie Plant's growing facility in rural Ottawa. Shannon stood for
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  a bench trial and initially was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, but his
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  conviction was overturned. Shannon stood for a due over trial in 2024
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  and prevailed. Months later, Shannon the sued LaSalle County in federal court
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  in Chicago. A judge threw out his complaint in August, ruling the
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  statute of limitations had run out. Now, Shannon is pursuing his claim
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  in LaSalle County Circuit Court. According to the new filing, the prosecutors
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  and sheriff's investigators conspired together against Shannon initiated and continued a malicious
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  prosecution, fabricated evidence, concealed exculpatory evidence, and engaged in other misconduct.
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  Attorneys who had represented the named defendants in the federal case did
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  not return Monday e-mail requests for comment on the new pleading.