Lindsay Clancy trial: Judge declares mistrial after emergency petition denied
By Peter Charalambous, Mason Leib, Melanie Schmitz, Tonya Simpson, Aaron Katersky, and Marwa Mouaki
Jury deliberations are ongoing in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mom who killed her three young children while in the family's home on Jan. 24, 2023.
Clancy's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, claims she was suffering from postpartum psychosis when she strangled her children and attempted to take her own life. The prosecutors, Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham, argue that Clancy -- who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder -- is criminally responsible for her children's deaths.
If she is found guilty, Clancy could face life in prison without parole. If found not criminally responsible for the three murder charges, she will be sent to a state mental health facility.
Judge William Sullivan is overseeing the trial.
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Judge declares mistrial after justice declines to impose emergency stay
Sullivan has declared a mistrial after the jury said repeatedly it was unable to reach a verdict.
"I'm going to declare the jury is deadlocked, and I'm going g to declare a mistrial," Sullivan said.
One juror appeared upset and put her head in her hands.
Others look frustrated or defeated.
The decision comes after a justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declined to impose an emergency stay filed by Clancy's defense attorney.
Reddington asked again for Sullivan to inquire of the holdout juror but the judge declined.
Single justice hears oral arguments over defense request for intervention
A single justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard brief oral arguments Friday on the defense request for emergency intervention.
The justice quickly adjourned the hearing to make a decision.
Lindsay Clancy's attorney, Kevin Reddington, argued intervention is necessary to avoid a mistrial.
"It is also necessary to preserve the Defendant's right to a fair trial by unbiased jurors applying the law and to avoid violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments and Article 114, which makes mental illness a protected category," the defense motion stated.
Prosecutors argued Judge William Sullivan properly exercised his discretion to declare the mistrial after days of deadlock.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to hold hearing
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will hold a hearing regarding Clancy's defense attorney's emergency request for relief.
Clancy's legal team files petition with Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
A representative for Lindsay Clancy's legal team says they have now filed a petition with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Reddington is asking the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to effectively force Sullivan to allow the jury to continue deliberating.
Clancy rests head on table, supporters crying as judge nears mistrial
Lindsay Clancy put her head on the table as her case neared a mistrial.
Several of her supporters are crying in the bathroom.
Courtroom spectators looked shocked when the judge said he planned to declare a mistrial and further surprised when he gave the defense an hour to ask the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to intervene.
The court is in a state of suspended tension awaiting an outcome.
Jury says it cannot reach verdict
Nearly 40 hours into deliberations over seven days, the jury said in a note on Friday, "It is with a heavy heart we are unable to come to a unanimous decision."
Judge William Sullivan said his read of case law is that he must declare a mistrial.
"The jury did not ask to be sent back," Sullivan added.
Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague encouraged a mistrial declaration. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington, however, asked the judge to send the jury back one more time.
Lindsay Clancy showed no reaction.
Judge declines to question holdout juror as jury continues deliberations
Lindsay Clancy's attorney said the juror he claims is preventing a unanimous verdict looked the judge "in the eye and lied" on Thursday, when the juror pledged to follow instructions about proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said a note from the jury foreperson indicated the holdout juror "made statements acknowledging doubt but refuses to apply it."
"This person will not apply reasonable doubt to the evidence" and return a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, Reddington told Judge William Sullivan.
Sullivan disagreed, saying the note "does not indicate this is a person who refuses to follow the law."
Sullivan declined to conduct a further inquiry of the juror but said he would remind the entire jury it must follow the law whether they like it or not.
Reddington pushed the judge to be more forceful in his instruction.
Sullivan interrupted.
"What do you want me to do, get a brass band?" an exasperated Sullivan said. "I am not glossing over this issue."
Jurors then filed stoically into the courtroom to begin a seventh day of deliberations.
The judge told jurors not to identify one another in any future notes and reminded them about his instructions after Thursday's dust-up.
Defense asks for rest of trial to be conducted in open court
Lindsay Clancy's defense attorney Kevin Reddington requested Friday, ahead of a seventh day of deliberations, that the remainder of the trial be conducted in open court.
Reddington requested no more sidebars, which are private conferences at the bench out of public earshot.
Jury to begin day 7 of deliberations
The jury is scheduled to return to the courtroom at 9 a.m. Friday after 36 hours of deliberations with no verdict.
In court on Thursday, defense attorney Kevin Reddington said there is one juror who is refusing to adhere to Judge William Sullivan's instructions.
