The jury foreperson in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial sent a total of six notes to the judge detailing the panel's deadlock before a mistrial was declared, according to new court filings by the prosecution. These notes confirm the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision for several days, ultimately leading to the mistrial declared on September 4.
On August 28, the jurors requested to review the pill bottles and knife that Clancy, 36, allegedly used in a suicide attempt after the deaths of her three young children: Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. These items were presented during the trial as evidence related to the alleged strangulation deaths.
The jury first indicated an impasse on September 2, sending a note stating, "After many hours of deliberation, we are unable to come to a unanimous verdict." Judge William Sullivan instructed them to continue deliberations. However, the following day, the jury sent a similar note, reporting, "After much deliberation, we are still unable to come to a unanimous decision."
Following this, Sullivan administered the "Tuey-Rodriguez" charge, an instruction aimed at encouraging jurors to continue their deliberations. On September 3, the foreperson sent a note raising concerns about a specific juror, identified as Michael Desronvil, who allegedly "is unable to follow the instruction regarding reasonable doubt."
Judge Sullivan individually questioned each juror to ascertain their ability to follow the legal instructions on reasonable doubt, and all affirmed they could. An hour later, another note from the foreperson stated, "Juror # redacted has made statements acknowledging doubt, but refuses to apply it to the verdict as the law states. This is why we cannot come to a unanimous decision."
On September 4, the jury sent its final note: "With a heavy heart that we report that we are unable to come to a unanimous decision and will not be able to." This communication led to the declaration of a mistrial.
Post-trial, several jurors reportedly claimed that 11 out of the 12 panelists were prepared to find Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity. Clancy's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, argued that his client should be found not criminally responsible due to severe postpartum psychosis, during which she allegedly hallucinated voices commanding her actions. Desronvil and his legal team, however, have maintained that he did not have doubts and believed the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to show Clancy was aware of her actions.
Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, was accused of meticulously planning and executing the deaths of her children before attempting suicide.