Mayor Expresses Support for Coronado Police in Shacknai Case

A Shacknai will come before the City Council again Tuesday, but for a far less pleasant reason.

For months leading up to the July 2011 deaths that would transform his life, homeowner Jonah Shacknai sought permission from the city to renovate the Spreckels mansion. 

He secured it for the final phases of the project – despite a battle with neighbors and preservationists – two months before his girlfriend and son would die within days of each other following incidents at the mansion.

At Tuesday's 3 p.m. council meeting, Dina Shacknai, his ex-wife, will press her argument that her 6-year-old son did not die as police determined, as the result of an accidental fall from a Spreckels staircase.

Last month, Coronado police rejected her contention that they should take another look at Max Shacknai's case and consider reclassifying his death as a homicide.

In response, Max's mother said “the system has failed us and it has failed Max., route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"police-will-not-re-open-max-shacknai-case-zahau-spreckels-mansion-deaths"} -->” She