Judge Declares Mistrial in Lindsay Clancy Case After Jury Deadlocks

No verdict after seven days of deliberations

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday in Lindsay Clancy's murder case after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict following seven days and approximately 38 hours of deliberations.

The mistrial leaves the case unresolved. It is not an acquittal, a conviction or a finding that either the prosecution's or defense's account was proved. The three murder charges remain pending unless prosecutors dismiss them, negotiate a plea or obtain verdicts in a later trial.

Sullivan scheduled a status hearing for September 29. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said prosecutors had not made an immediate decision about whether to retry the case.

Read the source: Associated Press: Judge declares mistrial after seven days of deliberations ↗

What the jury was deciding

Clancy, 36, is charged with killing her three children—Cora, Dawson and Callan—in the family's Duxbury home in January 2023. Her lawyers did not dispute that she caused their deaths; the central trial question was whether Massachusetts law held her criminally responsible at the time.

Clancy pleaded not guilty and asserted a lack-of-criminal-responsibility defense. Her attorneys argued that postpartum psychosis and an undiagnosed bipolar condition left her unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of her conduct or conform her behavior to the law.

Prosecutors argued that she acted deliberately and with planning rather than under a psychotic break. Those competing claims were advocacy presented at trial; the deadlocked jury did not produce a unanimous verdict accepting either side's ultimate position.

Read the source: PBS NewsHour: What is known and what happens after the mistrial ↗

An emergency appeal did not prevent the mistrial

Sullivan initially paused the proceedings for about an hour so defense attorney Kevin Reddington could ask Massachusetts' highest court to keep the jury deliberating. The emergency request was denied, and Sullivan then formally ended the trial without a verdict.

The defense has said the panel was divided 11–1 in favor of acquittal by reason of lack of criminal responsibility and criticized the holdout juror. That description comes from Clancy's attorney and reports about jury notes; no verdict form establishing a lawful 11–1 outcome was returned in open court.

A unanimous verdict was required. Public frustration with a juror does not establish misconduct, and disagreement during deliberations is not proof that a juror ignored the evidence or law.

Read the source: WBUR: Mistrial, deadlock and Massachusetts criminal-responsibility dispute ↗

What prosecutors can do next

Because the first jury did not return a verdict, prosecutors may generally seek another trial without violating the constitutional prohibition on double jeopardy. They could also dismiss charges or pursue a negotiated resolution, but no such decision has been announced.

A retrial would require a new jury and another presentation of evidence. It would not begin with a presumption that the first jury favored either side, and statements made outside court about the jurors' numerical split would not substitute for admissible evidence.

Clancy remains in custody at Tewksbury State Hospital, according to the Associated Press and PBS. Her placement and medical condition do not resolve the pending charges or determine whether prosecutors will proceed again.

Read the source: Reuters video: Judge's decision to declare a mistrial and temporary pause for appeal ↗

Mental illness is central—but the case is individual

The trial drew national attention to postpartum psychosis, a rare and serious psychiatric emergency. The defense's position that Clancy experienced the condition was specific to the evidence in her case and should not be used to stigmatize parents receiving postpartum mental-health care.

Most people with mental illness are not violent. A criminal-responsibility defense also differs from a general diagnosis: jurors must apply the state's legal standard to the defendant's condition and capacity at the time of the alleged acts.

Anyone in the United States experiencing a mental-health or suicide crisis can call or text 988. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is available at 1-833-TLC-MAMA, or 1-833-852-6262. An immediate danger requires 911 or local emergency services.

Read the source: 988 Lifeline: Official U.S. crisis support information ↗

About the image

The accompanying image is an authentic August 2007 file photograph of the Plymouth County Courthouse in Plymouth, Massachusetts, by Wikimedia Commons contributor Raime. It does not depict Lindsay Clancy, her children, the jury, Judge Sullivan or the 2026 trial.

The photographer released the image under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. Its use provides geographic court context and does not imply endorsement by the photographer, Wikimedia Commons or any party to the case.

Read the source: HRSA: National Maternal Mental Health Hotline ↗