Lindsay Clancy mistrial paused for defense appeal

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday in Lindsay Clancy's case over the killing of her three children, but put the ruling on hold for one hour so her lawyer could appeal to a higher court.

The jury was deadlocked 11-1, with the majority apparently leaning toward finding the 36-year-old not guilty by reason of insanity. Jurors had sent a note saying they were unable to reach a verdict.

Clancy does not deny strangling Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months, at the family home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in January 2023. She has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Her lawyers say she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and heard a voice ordering her to kill her children. Prosecutors reject that argument, saying Clancy carefully planned the killings and could understand the consequences of her actions.

To reach a verdict, all 12 jurors must agree. If they cannot, a judge can declare a mistrial and prosecutors must decide whether to retry the case with a new jury.

Clancy's lawyer, Kevin Reddington, had repeatedly asked Sullivan to replace the holdout juror with an alternate, but the judge declined.

The televised five-week trial featured more than 80 witnesses and days of distressing testimony. Psychiatrists, people close to Clancy and her estranged husband were among those who testified about her mental health.

Reddington said during closing arguments that Clancy had repeatedly sought help before the killings but received “lousy medical care”.

After the killings, Clancy jumped from a second-story window in an apparent suicide attempt that left her paralyzed from the waist down.

She faces life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder. Jurors could also find her guilty of second-degree murder or manslaughter, or not guilty by lack of criminal responsibility, which would lead to confinement in a psychiatric facility.