The jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial is stuck in a tense standoff, and legal experts say a mistrial could be just one more note away. After 31 hours of deliberation over six days, the panel has twice told the judge they cannot reach a unanimous decision.
Judge William Sullivan in Plymouth read a special instruction Wednesday, known as a Tuey-Rodriguez charge, urging the jurors to keep trying. But according to Boston criminal defense attorney Brad Bailey, if they send a third note saying they are hopelessly deadlocked, the judge will likely have no choice but to declare a mistrial.
The jury, made up of nine women and three men, is deciding whether Clancy, a 36-year-old mother from Duxbury, is guilty of first-degree murder. She is accused of killing her three children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, in January 2023.
Her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, has argued she should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. He claims she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and believed a voice was telling her to harm the children and herself.
Courtroom observers noted that both Reddington and Clancy appeared anxious Wednesday when the second deadlock note was announced. Reddington put his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, while Clancy sat with furrowed brows. When the jury left for the day, she let out a deep sigh.
Legal experts say the judge has some options if the jury asks to keep deliberating, but a third deadlock note would likely end the trial. Attorney Peter Elikann noted that at some point, pushing further becomes a pointless exercise.
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What happens next could change everything in this heartbreaking case.
