A retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge has pushed back against predictions of a hung jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, stating that a verdict remains possible despite a recent note from jurors indicating a deadlock.
Clancy, 36, is accused of strangling her three children—Cora, Dawson, and Callan, all under age 6—in their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in January 2023. Jurors deliberated for over 23 hours across four days before sending a note to Judge William Sullivan on Tuesday stating they were "unable to come to a unanimous decision."
Sullivan instructed the jury to resume their deliberations, reminding them of the instructions previously given regarding the review of evidence. The jurors are considering various possibilities, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility (insanity), or not guilty.
Retired Judge Jack Lu told Fox News Digital that such deadlock notes in highly emotional cases are not uncommon and do not necessarily signal an impending mistrial. "It is common for juries that eventually reach a verdict, especially in highly emotional cases, to initially report that they are deadlocked," Lu said. "So you could see a unanimous verdict later in this case. There should be no rush to judgment."
Lu characterized the jurors' task as deciding a "difficult, difficult, difficult societal issue" and emphasized that they are in the best position to make that decision. He also stated that Judge Sullivan was correct in not issuing a Tuey-Rodriguez charge, a Massachusetts instruction used to encourage deliberations toward a unanimous verdict, deeming it premature at this stage.
The retired judge indicated that it is still too early to interpret the deadlock as a definitive sign of a hung jury, suggesting that deliberations could continue for a significant period. The jury is scheduled to return on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. to continue their work.