Lindsay Clancy's defense attorney has filed a motion to dismiss all charges against her, arguing the state did not present sufficient evidence to prove her criminal responsibility during her recent trial. The filing, submitted Thursday to Plymouth County Superior Court, seeks a finding of not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility on each indictment and requests the court bar a retrial.
This renewed effort comes days after a mistrial was declared on Friday, September 6, when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. The panel was reportedly divided on whether Clancy was not guilty by reason of insanity. In the final 24 hours of deliberations, the jury foreperson sent messages to the judge indicating a holdout juror was expressing reasonable doubt but refusing to follow the law. The defense attorney had previously suggested striking the juror, but the judge declined. Ultimately, the jury reported a deadlock, leading to the mistrial.
Clancy was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the January 24, 2023, deaths of her children, Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months old. The killings occurred at the family's home in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Prosecutors alleged Clancy was of sound mind at the time of the incident. The defense, however, contended she was suffering from severe postpartum depression and psychosis, rendering her not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial focused on determining if Clancy had a mental defect or disease that prevented her from controlling her actions or conforming to the law.
According to reports, Clancy strangled the children with exercise bands in their basement. She then reportedly attempted suicide by cutting her wrists and neck before jumping from a second-story window. The case drew significant attention due to its focus on postpartum mental illness and criminal responsibility.
The defense's new motion argues that the prosecution failed to meet its burden of proof. The court is scheduled to hear arguments on the motion at the next hearing on September 29.
