The Lindsay Clancy murder trial ended in a mistrial on Friday after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict following more than 40 hours of deliberations in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Judge William Sullivan declared the jury hopelessly deadlocked on the seventh day of discussions, leaving unresolved whether Ms Clancy was criminally responsible for the deaths of her three young children in January 2023.
The jury had told the court three times that it could not agree. In a note read aloud by the judge, the foreperson said: “It is with a heavy heart that we report we are unable to come to a unanimous decision and will not be able to.”
The deadlock followed an unusual dispute over one juror. The foreperson had told the judge on Thursday that a member of the panel was not following the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt.
Ms Clancy’s defence lawyer, Kevin Reddington, asked for the juror to be removed and sought permission for the remaining jurors to continue deliberating. Judge Sullivan refused, prompting the defence to make an emergency application to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
The appeal was rejected, allowing the judge to bring the proceedings to an end. Mr Reddington had argued that the court should intervene to protect his client’s right to a fair trial, while prosecutors maintained that the judge had acted within his discretion after the prolonged deadlock.
What happens after the Lindsay Clancy mistrial?
The case is due to return to court on 29 September for a hearing on the next steps. Prosecutors have not immediately said whether they will seek a retrial.
Ms Clancy, a former labour and delivery nurse, has not disputed that she killed her children. Her lawyers argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and should not be held criminally responsible, while prosecutors said she understood what she was doing.
She is expected to remain in custody under psychiatric care while the case is considered further. The mistrial does not amount to an acquittal and leaves the murder charges unresolved.
