The 12-person panel determining the fate of Lindsay Clancy indicated on Tuesday morning that it has reached an impasse following days of discussion. In a note delivered to Plymouth Superior Court Judge William F. Sullivan, the jurors revealed their inability to reach a unanimous decision in the high-profile murder case.
The panel stated, “After many hours of deliberation, we are unable to come to a unanimous decision”. In response to the notice, Judge Sullivan instructed the panel to return to the deliberation room to make another attempt at resolving the stalemate. Acknowledging the complexity of the proceedings, the judge told the court, “I know that this was a long trial. I know there were over 80 witnesses, there were over 300 exhibits”. He then urged the panel, “But because of that, I’m gonna ask you to go back out, keeping in mind all the instructions I gave you, to go out and to continue your deliberations at this time”.
The decision to send the group back followed roughly 17 hours of deliberation spanning four days, coming after the five-week trial. After the jury’s note to Judge Sullivan earlier the day on Tuesday, they later requested to go home that afternoon – at which point the judge excused, with instructions to return on Wednesday for a fifth day of deliberations.
Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder regarding the January 2023 deaths of her children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington has maintained that his client is not criminally responsible due to an episode of severe postpartum psychosis, whereas prosecutors argue she acted deliberately and with intent.
Jurors are weighing five potential options: guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of manslaughter, not guilty, or not guilty by reason of a lack of criminal responsibility. By the end of Tuesday, the jury has now deliberated for approximately 23 hours over the course of 4 days. If the panel remains divided and cannot deliver a unanimous verdict after further discussions, the court may ultimately be forced to declare a mistrial.
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