“This was not reckless driving. This was murder,” the judge said before she read out Mackenzie Shirilla’s verdict Monday afternoon.
The reason why they say this was murder:
Two weeks before the crash, she allegedly threatened to crash her vehicle when she was driving with Russo because she was upset over a disagreement they had. Russo called his mother and asked to be picked up, and a friend ended up retrieving him. In a phone call with Russo, the friend allegedly overheard Shirilla say, “I will crash this car right now,” prosecutors said in court documents.
This isn’t a drunk driver, or a thrillseeker, this is someone with murderous intent.
Contrary to popular belief, people suffering from mental health issues are more likely to be the victim than perpetrator of violent crimes, more than their healthy counterpart. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.563860/full
She’s just a murderer.
It’ll depend on the jurisdiction. But ‘intent’ for murder does not mean “pre-planned”. Heat of the moment intention to do serious harm is enough for a murder conviction in the UK (and, I believe, the US).
In this case, the prosecution accused her of pre-planning as well as intent, and the jury agreed with one or both arguments.
Russo, the judge, delivered a scalding description of the case before she read out the verdict, saying Shirilla had a “mission” she executed with “precision” that fateful day — and “the mission was death.”
“The [crash] video clearly shows the purpose and intent of the defendant. She chose a course of death and destruction that day,” Russo said.
“She morphs from a responsible driver to literal hell on wheels as she makes her way down the street,” Russo said, saying Shirilla made a calculated decision to drive that morning, when not many people would be around, on an obscure route she did not routinely take.
Prosecutor Michael O’Malley told NBC affiliate WKYC of Cleveland that the crash video was damning, saying, “The intent was obvious upon seeing that video that there was only one goal.”
I recently read that a 70mph accident is considered “unsurvivable.” Regrettably I don’t recall the source. Because people survive accidents that happen on 70mph speed limit highways all the time, I assume two things. 1. That the accident has to happen AT 70mph. And that 2, most people are able to slow down or perhaps the vehicle hits something first, glancing blow, that sort of thing, which brings the speed down, making it more survivable. So yeah, I think that makes 100mph suicide/murder.
When you include an unconsenting person in the attempt, it is also murder.
It sounds much more like an abusive relationship. She was trying to punish him, regardless of the risk to herself.
…no, no, no… only WOMEN can be in abusive relationships.
At least that is the utter bullshit you would believe if you listened to the feminist/white knight rhetoric out there.
A woman kills family then kills self. Is it murder!!! Oh. No, just self-harm.
That’s not exactly what has happened here and derailing it using emotional hyperbole won’t help either.
This is why suicidal people are dangerous, it’s a relatively small change from killing yourself, to killing others.
This is why pastry chefs are dangerous, it’s a relatively small change from baking your bread, to baking others.
Have suicidal ideation is in no way, shape or form the same as being the perpetrator of a murder-suicide. Neither is being suicidal a lead-in to becoming a murderer.
No there may be a small chance of collateral damage, such as this case. But suicidal thinking does not make you think of killing others. You’re clearly lucky enough to have never had suicidal ideation, but it never comes near the kind of thoughts that want to kill others
I have a relative who was recently given a DUI.
They went to the store, sober, and bought a handle of vodka (1.75 liters) consumed the vast majority, and drove around.
He wanted to die in a head on collision. Selfish fuck.
I don’t have a problem with people having the freedom to decide enough is enough, but don’t harm others in the process, at least more so than the death would cause. Especially innocent unrelated people.
Fucking hell that is horrible. And of course she’s the only one to survive. 100mph into a brick building has probably left her pretty physically fucked up and in constant pain. Hope she enjoys feeling that way in prison for the rest of her life.
She’ll spend 8 months in prison and appeal for a reduced sentence and get out on “good behavior” before she’s even served a quarter of her term. Don’t you know how the American legal system works?
Murder is a felony, so I believe you have to serve 80% of a sentence before being able to be eligible for parole
The bullshit sentences are the ones we mainly hear about, and many people have a bit of a confirmation bias because of it. But, you don’t have to look further than your own community to see that slaps on the wrist are not typical.
US citizens are the most incarcerated people on Earth, buy an uncomfortable margin.
You forgot the white woman modifier, you take a man’s sentence and divide by 4.
Murder with a car is often toned down to, “vehicular manslaughter”. It’s often times charged as a misdemeanor. I agree with you that it should always be a felony because it’s murder, but that’s not how the courts treat it.
More of this. Also let’s start holding rich people accountable of crimes also.
I am truly sorry for the passengers. Lost life because of teenage perceived hardship is tragic.
From a different perspective, it seems incredibly impressive that anyone survived a deliberate head on collision with a brick wall (that appears to have barely buckled) at 100 MPH / 161 KMH.
Not just survived, but with everything intact. No missing limbs or massive head trauma. She’s wildly lucky in that reguard.
Remind me why we allow teenagers to drive 3-ton vehicles again?
Right? I honestly can’t wait until self driving cars take up enough of the market share that manual driving cars will be outlawed (or at least getting insurance on them will be astronomically expensive)
So we have a large reoccurring expense that forces us to always have a job and stay productive in a modern society where this really isn’t necessary?
Uh, I think society is pretty darn dependent on everyone working to sustain it.
Because the vast majority of them don’t use the 3ton vehicle to commit murder.
You do know that adults use vehicles as murder weapons also, yeah?
Awesome. Judge all teenagers because of a deranged one.
What’s your stance on 27 year olds with driver’s licenses?
Yeah buddy i’m going to judge all drivers, because i kinda sorta vaguely don’t want me or others to die!
Are you against gun control too?
Legally sure, still immature and not someone who should be piloting a heavy vehicle capable of going 100 mph.
Most people aren’t, frankly.
