PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Lindsay Clancy's trial judge declared a mistrial on Friday after an emergency defense appeal was denied. Judge William Sullivan ended the trial after jurors sent a note for a third time indicating they could not unanimously decide whether to hold her criminally responsible for killing her three young children in 2023.
Deliberations took a notable turn on Thursday when the foreperson informed the judge that a lone holdout was not adhering to the court's instructions regarding reasonable doubt. Clancy's defense argued that the judge's refusal to remove this juror undermined the trial.
Clancy, a 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, admitted to strangling her children in the basement of their home. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington attributed her actions to postpartum psychosis, while Jennifer Sprague contended that Clancy was aware of her actions.
Postpartum psychosis is estimated to affect 1 to 2 per 1,000 women following childbirth. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic describe it as a mental health emergency that can distort a person's sense of reality. Although most individuals with postpartum psychosis do not harm their children, severe cases may lead to such actions.
David Meier, representing Clancy's former husband Patrick Clancy in a civil lawsuit regarding her mental health treatment, expressed gratitude to the court and jurors for their efforts. He stated, "The loss of Patrick's children is something from which he will never recover and from which there will never be closure. The prospect of reliving this tragedy through another trial is extraordinarily painful."
In separate lawsuits, both Lindsay and Patrick Clancy allege that various healthcare providers failed to recognize her risk to herself and her children. The providers involved deny these allegations and assert that Clancy did not clearly communicate any intention to harm her children.
Outside the courthouse, Marta Quijano expressed her views on the trial, stating, "I don't think she deserves to have to go through this all over again. I think this should have been resolved. It's very unfair. I feel as women we are treated very unfairly."
Clancy's family was escorted out of the courthouse without making comments to reporters. She remains charged with murder and is being held at a psychiatric hospital until her case is resolved.
Reddington spoke about Clancy, saying, "She's like a daughter to me," and expressed his disappointment over the mistrial, stating, "She deserved an acquittal."
District Attorney Timothy Cruz emphasized the need for justice for the children, stating, "This case is not about the healthcare system, or about how women are treated in it. ... Children were murdered, and it's our job to seek justice."
The judge scheduled a hearing for September 29, during which Reddington may request a declaration of not guilty for Clancy, a rare legal move. The hearing could also provide insights into a potential second trial.
The defense's emergency appeal argued that the juror's reasoning indicated bias against individuals with mental illness, a protected category under the law. The defense contended that the judge should have further questioned the juror about their ability to follow the law during deliberations.
Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments regarding the emergency appeal and stated she would take the matter under advisement.
The judge expressed that he felt compelled to declare a mistrial, despite objections from Reddington, who argued that the jury should be sent back for further deliberation. The judge ultimately thanked the jurors for their service before dismissing them.