Lindsay Clancy’s holdout juror has broken his silence after the Massachusetts murder trial ended in a mistrial, urging the public to shift attention away from him and back to the three children at the centre of the case.
Michael Desronvil addressed the backlash surrounding the jury’s deadlock in a brief video statement shown on Fox News programme Hannity.
“I know the whole focus has been on me, but we want to reel everything back and put the focus on the three angels,” he said.
Jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether Ms Clancy was legally responsible for the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson and Callan Clancy. A judge subsequently declared a mistrial.
Mr Desronvil became the sole holdout during days of deliberations and has since faced criticism from other members of the panel. They accused him of refusing to accept their interpretation of the evidence and the law, allegations he has denied.
The case centred on Ms Clancy’s admission that she killed her children and her plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Her defence argued that she was suffering from severe mental illness, including postpartum psychosis, when the killings occurred.
Prosecutors argued that Ms Clancy remained legally responsible for her actions.
With no verdict reached, attention has turned to what happens next, including whether prosecutors will seek another trial. Mr Desronvil, however, said the focus should remain on the three children whose deaths were at the heart of the proceedings.
