Patrick Clancy is staying hundreds of miles away from the Massachusetts courtroom where a jury is deliberating the fate of his ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy. The panel of nine women and three men were sent home Tuesday after failing to reach a unanimous verdict on the fourth day of deliberations and are scheduled to resume on Wednesday morning.
Amid fears of a mistrial, Patrick Clancy has remained in New York City, where he shares an apartment with his new wife, fertility expert Rachel Danis. He has been observed in Manhattan since Thursday afternoon, when the jury began its deliberations. Witnesses described him as looking tense, making phone calls, and grocery shopping while keeping a low profile, often wearing sunglasses.
Clancy has faced harassment throughout the trial, fueled by online conspiracy theories falsely suggesting his involvement in his children's deaths, despite evidence indicating he was not present at the family home when the killings occurred. Relatives and criminologist Dr. Casey Jordan suggest Clancy's absence from court is a measure of self-protection against the intense public scrutiny and vitriol directed at him.
"He's in a bunker," Jordan told the Daily Mail. "He is fully aware of the vitriol against him, and everyone who wants to hold him responsible for the acts of his wife." Jordan characterized those criticizing Clancy online as "vultures picking his shattered bones," explaining that the public's deep need to assign accountability for the horrific loss often shifts anger toward him due to widespread sympathy for Lindsay Clancy.
Patrick Clancy has not attended the trial since testifying in late July. The prospect of returning to the Plymouth courthouse is reportedly unappealing, as crowds of women supporting Lindsay Clancy have gathered outside, some repeating unsubstantiated claims against him. His family has also expressed that the negative attention has taken a heavy toll.
Lindsay Clancy has admitted to strangling their three children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan, in January 2023. However, she maintains she is not guilty of murder, asserting she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis at the time and lacked comprehension of her actions. The jury must decide if she is guilty of murder, the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, or not criminally responsible due to mental illness. She has been held at Tewksbury Hospital since May 2023.
In the time since the tragedy, Patrick Clancy has been rebuilding his life. He divorced Lindsay in May 2023, relocated to New York City, and sold the Duxbury family home in May 2024. He has publicly defended his ex-wife, attributing her actions to a mental health collapse rather than malice. He has not visited her in the hospital.
Patrick Clancy married Rachel Danis, a fertility expert, in April. The couple has reportedly received death threats, with their personal details having been posted online as part of a harassment campaign.
Judge William Sullivan has instructed the jury to continue deliberations, acknowledging the complexity and length of the trial, which involved over 80 witnesses and 300 exhibits. Lindsay Clancy faces a potential mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder. A mistrial could occur if the jury remains deadlocked.
The outcome of Lindsay Clancy's trial could also impact Patrick Clancy's wrongful-death lawsuit against the healthcare providers who treated his ex-wife. He alleges their failures contributed to the children's deaths, a claim the providers deny. Legal experts suggest a guilty verdict could complicate his lawsuit by legally establishing Lindsay's criminal responsibility, potentially making it more difficult to argue the healthcare providers' actions were a direct cause of the deaths. A mistrial could also lead to the necessity of Patrick Clancy testifying again if a retrial is ordered.