Prosecutors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial are exhibiting a "tone deaf," "uncaring," and "snarky" approach that is likely to alienate jurors, according to criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno. Clancy, 36, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children — Cora, Dawson, and Callan, all under the age of 6 — who were found strangled in their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in 2023.
Rotunno pointed to a specific instance where Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham asked Susan Clancy, Lindsay Clancy's mother-in-law and a Catholic, if she knew murder was a "mortal sin." The question prompted an immediate sidebar and was ordered stricken from the record by Judge William Sullivan.
"I understand that your job is to prosecute this murder case and you view this as a first-degree murder," Rotunno told Fox News Digital, "but in sort of ignoring the true emotion that this type of a case invokes, and by ignoring it, you are really tone deaf as to the way the jurors feel."
The defense is asserting that Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis when the killings occurred. The defense's case has highlighted times when Clancy allegedly sought help but was turned away.
Dr. Paul Zeizel, a clinical forensic psychologist, testified that Clancy felt her "brain was damaged" and that she "should kill herself" and "never get any better." According to Zeizel, Clancy contacted a suicide hotline twice in December 2022 but did not receive assistance because she did not have a specific plan. "They told us she did not meet the standard of care because she did not have a plan," Zeizel stated.
Zeizel also testified that Clancy speaks about her children constantly, misses them, and loves them. "She really loves them and misses them and thinks of them every single day. Almost every moment of the day," he said when asked if Clancy ever mentioned her children.
Rotunno also noted the testimony of Susan Clancy, Lindsay's mother-in-law, as a potentially pivotal moment. She observed that Susan Clancy appeared sympathetic to Lindsay's situation, suggesting that if a close family member grieving the children's deaths stands by Lindsay, jurors might find it difficult to view her as a cold-hearted murderer.
During the trial, Judge William Sullivan rejected a defense motion to add a former clinical social worker from McLean Hospital, Emily Thorndike, to the witness list. The defense had argued Thorndike's testimony could counter a portrayal of the hospital as a "five star" institution where Clancy, they claimed, was offered unlimited treatment options which she chose to decline. However, Sullivan allowed certain records related to McLean's staffing and programs during Clancy's treatment to be included.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday, and it remains unclear if Clancy will testify. Supporters plan to gather outside the Plymouth County Superior Court wearing pink to show solidarity.