Judge declares mistrial in Lindsay Clancy murder case after jury fails to reach unanimous verdict – as it happened

Closing abstract

In a dramatic conclusion to a trial that has gripped, saddened and divided the nation, the choose declared a mistrial within the case of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mom who admits to killing her three kids in 2023. The trial collapsed and not using a verdict after the jury deliberated for roughly 38 hours however couldn’t attain a consensus over whether or not Clancy was criminally liable for the killings. The 9 girls and three males had twice already advised the choose earlier this week they couldn’t attain a unanimous determination and had been despatched again to deliberate additional. However immediately, they got here again as soon as extra, declaring that “with a heavy coronary heart” they might not “and won’t be able to” attain a consensus. After a last-ditch attraction to the state’s highest court docket from the protection was denied, Decide William Sullivan declared a mistrial. He thanked the jury, which was break up 11-1, for his or her efforts and arduous work in serving on such a tough case, and set a standing listening to for 29 September.
The Plymouth county district legal professional stated it might not decide on whether or not to pursue a retrial immediately. Tim Cruz advised reporters outdoors the courthouse that this case was “not concerning the healthcare system or how girls are handled in it”. The case, he stated, “was and has at all times been about getting justice for these three little infants. We’re right here at this courthouse immediately as a result of these kids should not.”
Clancy’s protection legal professional Kevin Reddington positioned blame on the mistrial on the holdout juror that prevented a verdict, however stated Clancy could be prepared for one more trial, ought to it come within the fall. Reddington claimed he had “gained” the case and “crushed” the prosecution’s arguments (reminder: we don’t know by which course the jury was break up), and stated Clancy is a “courageous” and “great” particular person whose life is “a tragedy”. He stated he hoped the case would spark change for the way girls experiencing postpartum psychological well being points are handled in the US.
A reminder that Clancy’s protection argued that she killed her kids whereas within the throes of extreme postpartum psychosis, whereas the prosecution argued she was accountable for her actions and deliberate the killings. In a latest episode of our Stateside podcast, my colleagues Carter Sherman and Jenna Amatulli, unpacked why the case has polarized so many individuals and the renewed attention is has drawn to the shortcomings within the US’s maternal healthcare system. My colleague Sarah Sloat has this explainer on postpartum psychosis, its signs and the way it may be handled, and Jessica Glenza has spoken to experts concerning the gaps in analysis into the situation. Maya Yang has highlighted five key moments from what has been referred to as “America’s saddest murder trial” and Edward Helmore has our news report.

Thanks for studying our protection of what has been a deeply distressing and unhappy case to comply with.

When you’ve got been affected by any of the small print or points raised, within the US, the national maternal mental health hotline is 1-833-852-6262; within the UK, the Pandas foundation gives help by way of Whatsapp on 07903 508334; and in Australia, the national maternal and perinatal mental health hotline is 1300 726 306.

Lindsay and Patrick Clancy’s kids had been Cora, 5, Dawson, three and Callan, eight months.

Key occasions

Reddington additionally stated different nations are “gentle years forward” of the US in treating girls who talk about their postpartum psychological well being points in a means that retains the kids with them in a secure atmosphere whereas they get therapy.

Reddington additionally stated he hoped the case would possibly spark adjustments in society relating to postpartum well being care.

This case highlighted “the woeful deficiency that girls have when they’re pregnant, after they have infants, and God forbid when they’re on medicine due to postpartum psychosis,” he stated.

Reddington stated that if Lindsay Clancy is retried, he would take the “uncommon” step to request that the jury is sequestered.

“I’ll request it. We’ll see what the choose does,” he advised reporters.

Requested how this case differed from others he has labored on, an emotional Reddington stated of Lindsay Clancy: “She’s like a daughter to me.”

Reddington stated of Lindsay Clancy: “Her life is a tragedy.”

Requested if he would do something otherwise in a second trial, Reddington stated: “Why would I? I gained the case.”

A reminder that we don’t know the way the jury was break up.

He additionally stated he’d need the identical 11 out of the 12 jurors, and discovering jurors who weren’t conscious of the case could be the actual problem.

I don’t know if we are going to ever have the ability to get jurors that aren’t conscious of this case anyplace. New York, Washington, Georgia, Japan, India, I don’t know anyplace.

Clancy ‘will likely be prepared’ for potential retrial in fall, protection legal professional says

Requested about earlier feedback that consumer Lindsay Clancy was not emotionally prepared for one more trial, Reddington stated, “Decide Sullivan is indicating that we’re taking a look at someday within the fall … She will likely be prepared.”

Clancy will proceed to remain in Tewksbury state hospital, he added.

‘I hope they’ll sleep at night time,’ Reddington says of holdout juror

Requested how Lindsay Clancy and her mother and father are doing after the mistrial, Reddington replied each occasions: “Not good.”

Requested if they might undergo this once more, he replied:

They know that they had been robbed by one [juror] for no matter [their] agenda was.

He stated the holdout additionally “stole seven weeks” from the opposite jurors and brought about a mistrial.

And I obtained a humorous feeling that [the jury] would have gone on for one more week in the event that they needed to. So I hope that [juror] can sleep effectively at night time.

“If we didn’t have that one particular person, we’d’ve had a verdict and we’d be out of right here,” he added.

Reddington additionally thanked the members of the jury “minus one”, referring to the holdout juror.

Clancy’s protection lawyer says he ‘crushed’ the prosecution’s case

Lindsay Clancy’s protection legal professional Kevin Reddington is now talking to reporters outdoors the courthouse.

“Clearly this isn’t a time for gloating, bragging, expressing victory. It’s a really unhappy case,” he stated.

He stated he “crushed” the prosecution’s case, including: “I’m representing a lady who’s a unbelievable, great particular person. This girl is so courageous, so superior.”

She sat there by means of seven weeks of the trial, the place no person had something unhealthy to say about her besides the 2 prosecutors.

Trump calls trial a ‘horrible tragedy’

Talking on the White Home whereas taking questions from reporters, Donald Trump has weighed in on the case.

After a reporter requested him if he’d been following the trial, Trump referred to as the case a “horrible tragedy” and a “horrible state of affairs”.

“I assume there’s going to be one other trial,” the US president stated. “She did a horrible, horrible factor. Can’t be worse.”

Trump added that Clancy must pay “a worth”.

There’ll be a worth. It’s going to be a psychological establishment or jail or one thing … it’s too unhealthy.

Cruz stated he acknowledged that postpartum melancholy impacts the lives of many ladies, however argued that the proof suggests Lindsay Clancy was “accountable for her actions when she dedicated these homicides”. (A reminder that Clancy’s protection argued that she suffered from extreme postpartum psychosis, which is different to postpartum melancholy).

The prosecution “did our half”, Cruz went on, including that he’s happy with the work they did within the case. He significantly praised assistant district attorneys Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham, who “are each moms themselves, and went house to their households after every lengthy day in court docket.”

They embraced probably the most tough trial project with utmost professionalism and at all times with the ideas of Cora, Dawson and little Callan on their minds.

Cruz added that “as a father and a grandfather, I can’t think about the hell this whole household has lived by means of”.

Cruz went on to acknowledge that this has been “an emotional trial for everyone”.

This has been emotional for the Duxbury group. It’s been emotional for you members of the media.

He goes on to centre the kids, Cora, Dawson and Callan in his remarks, arguing that the case “will not be concerning the healthcare system or how girls are handled in it”.

This was and has at all times been about getting justice for these three little infants. We’re right here at this courthouse immediately as a result of these kids should not … Our precedence has at all times been to combat for Cora, for Dawson and for Callan.