Inside court as judge declares a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy case
ByIone Wells , Reporting fromReporting from court in Massachusetts , Ana Faguy and Sareen Habeshian
Warning: This story contains distressing details and discussion of attempted suicide
A Massachusetts judge has declared a mistrial in the murder case against Lindsay Clancy after jurors, who deliberated for about a week, conceded they would not be able to unanimously decide whether she should be held criminally liable for killing her three young children.
The case against Clancy has both captivated and heavily divided the American public, even spurring remarks from the US president.
There was a sense of disbelief in the courtroom as the case – and Clancy’s future – are now left in limbo.
Clancy’s lawyer led a dramatic last-ditch attempt to halt the mistrial and force a verdict, which was unsuccessful. A hearing later this month could establish what happens next in the case.
“At this point, I’m going to declare that the jury is deadlocked, and I’m going to declare a mistrial,” Judge Sullivan told the jury on Friday, dismissing them after weeks of testimony, nearly a week mulling Clancy’s fate and the panel signalling three times that they were deadlocked.
The deadlock – known as a hung jury – does not mean prosecutors have proven their case, nor does it mean the defendant is not guilty.
A hearing was scheduled for 29 September, where prosecutors could outline their next steps in the case.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old former nurse will remain held on the same murder charges and maintain staying in the mental health facility where she is housed now.
Prosecutors could decide from a host of options on what happens next, including holding another trial or coming to a plea agreement with Clancy over the strangulation of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, eight months – in their Massachusetts home.
After killing the children, Clancy cut herself with a knife and jumped from a second-story window in an attempt to take her own life, which has left her paralysed.
Clancy does not deny killing the children in 2023 but pleaded not guilty to the three first-degree murder charges, with her lawyers arguing she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and should not be held criminally responsible.
Image source, Plymouth Clerks OfficeA photo displayed in court shows Clancy, her ex-husband and their children
The grim case led to a series of dramatic twists and turns as the jury deliberated Clancy’s fate.
On Friday, court began with Clancy’s attorney Kevin Reddington pushing for a juror on the panel to be removed, after the jury indicated a day prior in a note that a member of the panel was not following instructions on reasonable doubt.
Under US law, a jury must unanimously believe “beyond a reasonable doubt” that someone is guilty in order to convict them of a crime.
The designation is the strictest standard in the US legal system. It places the burden on the government to prove that the accused is guilty, and not the accused to prove their innocence.
Judge Sullivan denied the request and sent jurors back to deliberate. About an hour later, the panel came back to say they still could not reach a verdict.
It was then that Judge Sullivan said he had no choice but to declare a mistrial. Reddington immediately pleaded for a temporary pause so they could file an emergency appeal with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Watch: What is a mistrial and what does it mean for Lindsay Clancy?
In the filing, Reddington asked the state’s highest court to order the judge to force the jury to continue deliberation and for the judge to question the panel over the alleged holdout juror that led to the deadlock.
The state’s high court denied the request, paving the way for the mistrial.
Clancy appeared downcast as the judge made the ruling official. It was surprisingly silent in courtroom.
She remained expressionless but her lawyer looked visibly upset by the decision. He continued to push back, insisting the judge had the power to dismiss the one holdout juror.
“Unfortunately, they’re not holding out based on a good-faith issue,” he said.
Reddington said he intended to file another motion, which essentially requests for the mistrial to be reconsidered. This could come up at the next hearing later this month.
The moment judge declares a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy case
The mistrial came after six weeks of court proceedings and after jurors deliberated for more than 40 hours over seven days.
“There will be no decisions made today,” Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said on Friday on what could happen next in the case.
He said he would meet with the rest of their legal team to decide whether they will pursue a new trial.
“The facts are Lindsay Clancy killed her three children and the evidence suggested to us that she was in control of her actions when she committed those homicides,” he said.
Outside the court on Friday, Reddington said he believed 11 of the 12 jurors would have delivered a verdict that favoured Clancy, had it not been for the one holdout.
But it remains unclear what position any member of the jury took or what talks looked like in the deliberation room.
For weeks the case gripped the country and sparked debate over the topic of postpartum psychosis. Many followed along with livestreams of the trial, as family members and experts testified. Each day, more than 200 members of the media crowded the court and groups of supporters in varying sizes often gathered outside.
The widespread attention even spurred comments on Friday from US President Donald Trump, who called the case a “horrible tragedy”.
“She did a horrible, horrible thing. Can’t be worse,” he said at the White House. “I assume there’s going to be another trial.”
“But you’ll find out what the price to pay is,” Trump added. “There’ll be a price.”
If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org.
In the UK a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.
