The trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother accused of strangling her three children, is set to begin Monday with opening statements that promise to reveal haunting new details about the January 2023 tragedy. Her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, will take the stand as the prosecution’s first witness.
Patrick, who now lives in New York with his new wife, infertility specialist Rachel Danis, found the bodies of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan in their Duxbury home. According to reports, he will testify about his marriage, their home life, and his perception of Lindsay’s mental state leading up to the deaths.
The defense, led by attorney Kevin Reddington, plans to cross-examine Patrick to highlight Lindsay’s repeated efforts to seek help for postpartum psychosis. The trial’s outcome hinges on whether jurors believe she was in the grip of a severe psychiatric episode, worsened by antipsychotic medications, when she allegedly used exercise bands to choke her children.
Prosecutors reportedly argue she was lucid and methodically planned the murders, pointing to internet searches and evidence she got her husband out of the house that day. Lindsay, now 35 and wheelchair-bound after a botched suicide attempt, appeared to frown intently during jury selection last week.
More than 300 potential jurors were questioned, many leaving in tears. A box of tissues was placed in the courtroom. Three selected jurors asked to be removed, citing emotional distress.
The final panel of 12 jurors and six alternates was locked in Thursday.
Patrick filed a last-minute motion to block public release of his 911 call and autopsy photos. Judge William Sullivan granted the request, ordering media not to disseminate those items, though they will be shown in court. The defense also tried to limit testimony from first responders, but the judge will decide witness by witness.
If found not guilty by reason of insanity, Lindsay would be committed to a state psychiatric hospital, only released if doctors deem her no longer a danger. With up to 200 witnesses and a trial expected to last two months, the courtroom 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒶 is just beginning.
What will Patrick’s testimony reveal about the moments before tragedy struck?
