Judge declares Lindsay Clancy case a mistrial

Following seven days of deliberations, the judge in the Lindsay Clancy trial has been declared a mistrial. Judge William Sullivan announced in court that jurors once again said they can’t reach a unanimous decision on whether the Massachusetts mother is criminally responsible for killing her three young children in 2023, according to the Associated Press. 

“Members of the jury, at this point, I’m going to declare that the jury is deadlocked and I’m going to declare a mistrial,” Sullivan announced, thanking the jurors for their service. “Each one of you knew how long the case was going to go. You knew how difficult, the case was going to be to listen to, facts wise. But still, you braced for that duty.”

“I understood how hard everybody worked in this case. I understood that you all gave everything you could, and probably more than you thought you could,” he added.

The trial has been closely followed by the public due to its lurid nature and high-profile debates over mental health, specifically postpartum psychosis. Clancy’s defense said she was suffering from the rare form of psychosis when she strangled her kids, five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson, and eight-month-old Callan. She then attempted to take her own life by jumping out a window, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.

Prosecutors alleged Clancy, a 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, knew what she was doing. 

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Despite three attempts, the jury could not reach a verdict. “It is with a heavy heart that we report we are unable to come to a unanimous decision and will not be able to,” a note from the jury read. A single juror seems to be responsible, with the AP reporting “The jury’s foreperson had told the judge Thursday that a single juror wouldn’t follow the court’s instructions about reasonable doubt.” Sullivan refused to remove the juror and then said he was going to declare a mistrial. The prosecution agreed with the move.

Sullivan temporarily reversed course, giving Clancy’s defense an hour to appeal. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court quickly rejected the appeal. A hearing has been set for Sept. 29, in which it is likely Clancy’s lawyer will ask Sullivan to declare her not guilty. The hearing could also reveal details about a possible second trial.