A juror accused of blocking the verdict in Lindsay Clancy’s triple‑murder trial will be questioned by Judge William Sullivan at 9 a.m. Friday, defense attorney Kevin Reddington said Thursday.
Juror Deadlock Fuels Courtroom Clash
The foreperson sent Judge Sullivan a note alleging that one juror refused to apply the reasonable‑doubt standard, leaving the nine‑woman, three‑man panel deadlocked after more than 35 hours of deliberations.
Reddington said the judge will interview the holdout juror tomorrow and indicated the matter would be handled in open court rather than a sidebar, adding that Clancy has a right to hear the discussion.
Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague rejected the request to remove the juror, arguing that Sullivan’s questioning of each panelist and his clear instruction on reasonable doubt were proper.
Massachusetts law places the burden on the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was sane and criminally responsible, making the juror’s stance pivotal in this case.
Clancy’s defense team maintains that postpartum psychosis prevented her from appreciating the wrongfulness of her actions, a claim that could support a not‑guilty‑by‑reason‑of‑insanity verdict.
The jury may return a verdict of first‑degree murder, second‑degree murder, manslaughter, or an insanity acquittal; a unanimous decision is required, and a first‑degree conviction carries life without parole.
Reddington dismissed any notion of a mistrial, saying he “kicked the sh*t out of their case” and wants the trial to conclude.
Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, admitted to strangling her three children with exercise bands in 2023 at their Duxbury home, and her attorneys argue the medical system failed her.
Judge Sullivan dismissed the jury Thursday and ordered them to return Friday morning, when the battle over the lone holdout is expected to resume.
