The Lindsay Clancy trial ended its sixth day of deliberations Thursday without a verdict, and the jury remained deadlocked as a dispute over a holdout juror unfolded. Deliberations are scheduled to resume Friday in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The 12-person panel, made up of nine women and three men, has twice reported an impasse. Jurors are expected to return Friday, when Judge William Sullivan is also set to address concerns involving one member of the panel.
Earlier Thursday, defense attorney Kevin Reddington asked the court to remove a juror after the foreperson reported that the person was refusing to follow the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt. The request was denied.
Reddington cautioned that the case could conclude without a verdict due to a juror who he said had disregarded the court’s directions.
Prosecutors opposed removing any juror, arguing there was no proper way to determine who was correct without delving into the panel’s confidential deliberations. They said Sullivan had acted appropriately by confirming with jurors that they could follow the law and by reinstructing them on reasonable doubt.
Sullivan declined to excuse the juror, calling the removal of a deliberating panelist a sensitive step and stating the court could not take sides in the jury’s discussions.
After court, Reddington said a subsequent jury note suggested an 11-to-1 split. The note did not indicate which outcome the 11 favor or the stance of the remaining juror.
Reddington said Sullivan plans to hold an inquiry at 9 a.m. Friday. If jurors again report they cannot reach unanimity, the case could end in a mistrial.
The defense attorney added that he expects the arguments over the juror issue to occur in open court. Asked whether a retrial might benefit prosecutors, he replied that his witnesses and evidence are prepared.
Reddington said prosecutors could seek to delay a retrial for several months, but he indicated the defense would be ready to proceed. He deferred to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz when asked about the possibility of a plea agreement.
What is at stake in the Lindsay Clancy trial
Clancy, 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson and Callan, all under 6, who were found strangled in the family’s Duxbury home in January 2023. She does not dispute killing them. Jurors must decide whether she was criminally responsible at the time.
Prosecutors argue Clancy understood her actions and should be held responsible for the children’s deaths. The defense contends she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and could not appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions or conform her conduct to the law.
The jury is weighing several possible outcomes, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, or not guilty.
The jury is weighing several possible outcomes, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, or not guilty.
The jury’s deliberations and potential verdict in the Lindsay Clancy trial come as national attention remains focused on high-profile criminal cases, including when a jury returns Tupac Shakur murder conviction in Las Vegas.
