Lindsay Clancy jury says it's deadlocked, judge tells them to continue deliberating

Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial told the judge Tuesday morning that they are deadlocked and unable to reach a unanimous decision, but the judge told them to continue their deliberations over whether to hold her criminally responsible for killing her three young children at her Massachusetts home in 2023.

The jury began deliberating in secret last Thursday. Outside of one jury question, it has been quiet since then, with no communications to the judge suggesting how things might be going. Jury deliberations resumed shortly after 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

About an hour later, everyone returned to the courtroom. The judge met briefly with attorneys at sidebar before the jury was brought in. The judge then announced that the jury had indicated to him that it is deadlocked and unable to reach a verdict. But he asked them to go back and continue their deliberations. The court then went back into recess so the jury could continue to deliberate.

This was the first time the jury gave any indication they were at an impasse. Clancy stared straight ahead as the jury entered, then looked toward them as the judge spoke to the panel.

“I know that this was a long trial, all right,” Judge William Sullivan said. “I know there were over 80 witnesses. There were over 300 exhibits. But because of that, I’m going to ask you to go back out.”

As he entered the courtroom Tuesday morning, defense attorney Kevin Reddington said that he would defend Clancy again if there is a hung jury and the case has to be retried. “Absolutely,” he said.

Asked if he expects a verdict on Tuesday, he said, “Maybe today’s the day. We’ll see. I don’t know.”

He also expressed his faith in the jury, saying they’ve been “so attentive, so diligent, so hardworking.” Asked why he thought the jurors asked to leave early on Monday, he said, “They were probably tired. It’s emotionally draining and very, very taxing. They really needed a break.”

Reddington said the trial and the wait for a verdict has taken a toll on Clancy. “It’s tough. Tears my heart out.”

Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, doesn’t deny strangling her children but says postpartum psychosis led to her actions. Prosecutors argue she knew what she was doing. Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility.

The jury could convict her of murder or manslaughter, or acquit her if they believe her deteriorating mental health was to blame. A conviction could lead to a life prison sentence. If she is acquitted, a judge could still order her confined to a mental health facility if an evaluation determines she is a danger to the public.

Reddington argued at the trial that she loved her children, but killed them because she lost her grip on reality — and on herself — due to postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness that can follow childbirth. In the months before the killings, Clancy sought treatment for her worsening mental health, including a stay in a psychiatric hospital.

Prosecutors said Clancy strangled the children because she was depressed and tired of living, and made a conscious choice to kill them before attempting suicide.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in emotional distress, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

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