The judge in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial says he’s ready to declare a mistrial but gave her defense attorney a last-minute “Hail Mary” before doing so. The judge said in court that he saw no choice but to declare a mistrial after receiving a note from the jury Friday stating, “With a heavy heart, we report we cannot come to a unanimous decision." In a stunning development, the judge then allowed Clancy’s defense attorney one hour to get a stay from the Supreme Judicial Court. The mistrial ruling is now on hold.
Jurors have deliberated for seven days and told the judge three times that they have been unable to reach a unanimous verdict. If the judge declares a mistrial, prosecutors must decide whether to retry the case, offer a plea deal, or drop the charges. A conviction could mean life in prison for Clancy, while an acquittal might lead to confinement in a mental health facility.
Over a five-week trial, the jury heard testimony from doctors, first responders, relatives and even Clancy’s former husband. The jurors were tasked with determining whether she should be held criminally responsible for killing her three young children at her Massachusetts home in 2023. Both sides agree Clancy did it.
But her attorneys argued the former labor and delivery nurse was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time, and that poor mental healthcare exacerbated her condition. Prosecutors argued she intentionally planned the killings. Clancy's former husband, Patrick Clancy, was first to take the stand at trial.
In emotional testimony, he described the day he found his wife after she tried to kill herself. Lindsay Clancy had sent him out to get takeout food and medication for their daughter, which prosecutors argue was an excuse to get him out of the house. He came home to find the house unusually silent, before finding blood throughout the main bedroom and a window open.
Jurors listened to the 911 call Patrick Clancy made after finding his wife outside in the snow. Clancy can be heard speaking with his wife, then tells the dispatcher he’s going to check on the children. Moments later, he howls and cries after finding his children in the basement.
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