A Massachusetts jury deadlocked after failing to reach a unanimous verdict in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, prompting Judge William Sullivan to declare a mistrial on Friday. Clancy, 36, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the January 2023 deaths of her children Cora, Dawson, and Callan. District Attorney Tim Cruz must now decide whether to retry the case.
The 12-person jury of nine women and three men deliberated for approximately six to seven days, with 11 jurors favoring acquittal by reason of insanity and one holdout blocking consensus. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued postpartum psychosis and overmedication impaired Clancy's criminal responsibility; prosecutors maintained she planned the killings. Clancy remains at a psychiatric institution.
The mistrial prolongs a case that has drawn national attention and reignited debate over maternal mental health and criminal responsibility standards in Massachusetts. A status hearing is set for September 29, when a new trial date could be established. Clancy's defense has not ruled out a plea deal.
Sources differ on the length of jury deliberations and the trial itself, with reports ranging from five to six weeks and deliberations spanning 30 to nearly 40 hours over six to seven days.