Mason Shannon retrial: ‘It was chaotic – a lot happening very quickly’

Mason Shannon is back on trial for the 2017 killing of Michael Castelli. A judge, not a jury, who decides whether it was self defense or a reckless act.

Shannon, 49, of Newton, Iowa, was convicted in La Salle County Circuit Court of involuntary manslaughter for placing Castelli, of Ottawa, into a headlock outside the Bonnie Plants growing facility. Before he could be sentenced, however, Shannon’s lawyers succeeded in vacating his conviction over a procedural issue.

Whatever you call it, the law calls it involuntary manslaughter and the defendant was acting in a reckless manner.”

—  Michael Falagario, prosecutor

At a do-over trial begun Tuesday, Shannon opted to let visiting Judge William Dickenson render a verdict. Attorneys hope to conclude later this week.

That Castelli behaved abnormally – he was under the influence and crawled on the ground – and had to be restrained are not disputed facts. Attorneys do, however, dispute the medical findings.

Prosecutor Michael Falagario said during opening statements Tuesday the forensic pathologist will testify Castelli died from asphyxia resulting from Shannon placing him, for up to 10 minutes, in a chokehold or carotid sleeper hold.

“Whatever you call it, the law calls it involuntary manslaughter,” Falagario said. “The defendant was acting in a reckless manner.”

However, defense attorney Paul De Luca said Shannon was defending himself from the much bigger Castelli who turned “dangerous and violent” after ingesting alcohol and drugs. Three people were one point trying to restrain him.

“The aggressor clearly, in this case, is Michael Castelli.” De Luca said. “(Those at the scene) are scared to death and they’re trying to control him.”

Castelli, he argued, did not die from asphyxia. The defense intends to present a medical expert to show Castelli died from a pre-existing heart condition De Luca described as “a time bomb.”

“You’re going to learn that is what caused his death,” De Luca said, further arguing that the state will be unable to show Shannon acted recklessly or without justification.

Shannon had, in 2017, befriended Castelli and invited him, without authorization, to the Bonnie Plants facility, where Shannon then was employed, on July 20, 2017.

A struggle ensued that night, witnessed by several people. Two who testified Tuesday, Joseph Brewer and Jordan Wilkinson, said they were working late when they spotted a man, later identified as Castelli, crawling on all fours. Brewer filmed a short clip of this with his cellular phone.

Wilkinson said he greeted Castelli earlier in the evening and Castelli had seemed fine, though he had alcoholic beverage in his hand. Later, Wilkinson said, Castelli approached again but with “a blank stare.”

“He was just gone, I want to say,” Wilkinson said.

Castelli rose to his feet – his balance “a little off,” Brewer testified – and ran toward Brewer and Wilkinson. Wilkinson asked Castelli if he was OK and, after a brief exchange, Castelli punched Wilkinson in the back of the head.

Trying to restrain Castelli, Brewer put him into a bear hug from behind, his arms around Castelli’s chest, and Shannon jumped in trying to help.

“It was chaotic – very dark – a lot happening very quickly,” Brewer testified.

Police were sent for, as was plant manager Jim Clouse. There were at that point three men restraining Castelli, who had been secured with zip ties but managed to break free. When Brewer withdrew from the tangle, Shannon placed Castelli into a headlock.

“So from the time the headlock was secured, it remained secure?” Falagario asked.

“Yes,” Brewer said. He said he estimated Shannon held the headlock for “maybe five, 10 minutes.”

However, under cross-examination, Brewer acknowledged that he couldn’t say how much pressure Shannon applied or whether Shannon at some point relaxed his hold on Castelli.

Wilkinson, meanwhile, left the scene of the struggle to phone for help and then admit the arriving police officer. When Wilkinson returned with the officer – “I was gone at least 10 minutes,” he said – Wilkinson saw Shannon still holding Castelli in the headlock.

Both witnesses testified Castelli did not resist being handcuffed and appeared unresponsive, although Shannon’s lawyers questioned their credibility. Wilkinson gave a divergent response in a taped statement. Shannon’s lawyers argued that both witnesses had cut deals with prosecutors ahead of Shannon’s first trial.

The trial resumes Wednesday. The medical testimony is scheduled to begin Thursday.

If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Shannon could face two to five years in prison, with the possibility of probation.