Deliberations in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy have become deadlocked, with the defense attorney alleging that one juror is refusing to follow the court's instructions on reasonable doubt. The jury, comprised of nine women and three men, has sent multiple notes to Judge William Sullivan since beginning deliberations on Aug. 28, 2026.
One of the jury's most recent notes, sent Thursday, Sept. 3, indicated they were deadlocked. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington revealed that the note was from the foreperson, stating a single juror "refuses to follow the law." Reddington argued for the judge to question the juror individually and move to have him removed from the panel, but his requests were denied by Sullivan. The defense attorney claimed the juror was a man and had lied during an earlier individual questioning by the judge.
The case centers on the January 24, 2023, deaths of Clancy's three children in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The prosecution contends that Clancy meticulously planned the killings, even sending her husband to pick up medication and takeout food to create an opportunity to commit the crimes. The defense, however, argues that Clancy was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis, exacerbated by prescription medications, and heard a voice instructing her to kill her children and herself.
During deliberations, the jury also requested to see the knife Clancy used to harm herself after the children's deaths. As of Friday, Sept. 4, the jury remained deadlocked.
Given the stalled deliberations, several outcomes are possible for the trial. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the judge could declare a mistrial, after which prosecutors would likely pursue a second trial. Alternatively, the jury could convict Clancy of first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole, or second-degree murder, which carries a life sentence with the possibility of parole. A conviction on manslaughter charges could result in up to 20 years in prison per count. If found not guilty by reason of insanity, Clancy would be committed to a mental hospital for treatment until deemed no longer a threat, with the possibility of future release at the court's discretion.