The jury in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy informed the judge on Tuesday morning that they are unable to reach a unanimous verdict after 18 hours of deliberations. Clancy, 36, is accused of murdering her three children, Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan, at their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in 2023.
Judge William Sullivan acknowledged the length of the deliberations and the jury's statement that they cannot agree on whether Clancy was not criminally responsible or 'not guilty by reason of insanity.' He ordered the jury to continue their deliberations and sent them back.
If the jury's stalemate continues, the judge may declare a mistrial. A mistrial would not violate double jeopardy laws because no verdict was reached. A retrial would allow the prosecution the opportunity to present their case again, potentially including new witnesses, and would involve starting the jury selection process anew.
Clancy admitted to killing her children but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, citing postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors argued during the five-week trial that the killings were intentional and premeditated. Evidence presented included that Clancy strangled her children with exercise bands after sending her husband, Patrick Clancy, out to run errands. She then allegedly attempted to take her own life, resulting in paralysis.
During deliberations, the jury requested to see a bloody knife used in Clancy's suicide attempt and bags of empty prescription pill bottles found in her home. Clancy's defense attorney highlighted the pill bottles, questioning the thoroughness of the police investigation.
Both Patrick and Lindsay Clancy have filed lawsuits against medical providers, alleging overmedication for postpartum mental health issues. Jurors heard testimony from medical professionals, friends, and relatives about Clancy's mental health struggles, as well as from opposing medical experts regarding her state of mind at the time of the killings. Clancy had been discharged from a psychiatric hospital less than three weeks before the deaths of her children.
If a mistrial is declared, it is unclear what charges the prosecution would pursue in a second trial. Legal experts suggest the prosecution would likely seek to have Clancy hospitalized for a mental health evaluation and to assess her current demeanor while court documents are prepared.
A retrial would require Patrick Clancy to testify again and would likely mean Lindsay Clancy would have to endure the presentation of evidence that caused her distress during the initial trial. Patrick Clancy has since remarried and has publicly stated he forgives his ex-wife, describing her as a good mother who became ill.