Podcaster Joe Rogan has criticized the individuals and online groups rallying in support of Lindsay Clancy, who is on trial for the murder of her three young children. Clancy, a former nurse from Duxbury, Massachusetts, faces three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her children, Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and 8-month-old Callan, on January 24, 2023. Clancy does not deny killing her children but asserts she was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time and therefore not criminally responsible.
Rogan expressed skepticism on "The Joe Rogan Experience" regarding the support Clancy has garnered, particularly on social media. He questioned whether a father accused of a similar crime would receive comparable public sympathy. "Imagine if a single father killed his kids. Do you think there'd be any dads out there? ‘We get it. We understand. I also get sad!’" Rogan stated. He suggested that witnessing the crime scene would deter such support, adding, "If those ladies could see the crime scene and see those dead kids with their f---ing vacant eyes staring up because their mother took their life, the last f---ing thing that they saw was their mother standing over them, choking them to death, I don't think they would feel so bad."
Rogan described the situation as indicative of a world that has become increasingly extreme, stating, "People are out of their f---ing mind right now. She's out of her f---ing mind. The world is out of its f---ing mind." He found it difficult to accept that people would support someone accused of killing their own children, regardless of the circumstances.
Some experts have weighed in on the public's reaction to the case. Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a psychiatrist, cautioned against turning such cases into social media spectacles, stating that Clancy should not be treated as a hero or celebrity. He noted that while some online commentary is "dumb" and based on narratives rather than evidence, others who support Clancy are not condoning the actions but expressing empathy for the challenges of the postpartum period and criticizing the mental health system. He also clarified that a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity is for rare, extreme cases and does not mean anyone with mental illness can avoid prison.
Former GOP consultant Mary Marslender echoed Rogan's sentiment, suggesting a double standard exists. "Joe Rogan is spot on. Would there be a supporter rally for a father who committed the same act? Of course not," she stated. Marslender argued that a father in a similar situation would be labeled a "monster," and that the current situation represents "the hypocrisy of feminism." She concluded that it is possible to acknowledge Clancy's alleged illness and systemic issues within psychiatric care without idolizing her, emphasizing the humanity of the children who died.
