Lindsay Clancy jury split 11-1; defense rejects mistrial
The Lindsay Clancy jury split appears to stand at 11-1 after six days of deliberations, her defense attorney said Thursday, Sept. 3. Kevin Reddington told reporters one juror is not following the judge's instructions and that he does not want a mistrial, claiming he "kicked the s--t out of" the prosecution's case.
Key Takeaways
- Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said the Lindsay Clancy jury split is effectively 11-1, with one juror allegedly ignoring instructions.
- A foreperson note claimed one juror "refuses to listen to the law"; Reddington asked that juror be removed.
- Judge William Sullivan re-instructed the panel on reasonable doubt; jurors return Friday at 9 a.m.
- Clancy faces first-degree murder charges in the 2023 deaths of her three children in Duxbury, Mass.
- The jury has twice reported a deadlock, and a mistrial risk remains after a Tuey-Rodriguez charge.
What did Lindsay Clancy's lawyer say about the deadlock?
Outside the courthouse on Thursday, Reddington said 11 jurors had seemingly reached a decision while one was not listening to the judge's instructions.
"There's a person who has doubt but will not listen to the judge's instruction," he said. "I don't want a mistrial. Why would I want a mistrial? I kicked the s--t out of their case."
He did not say how those 11 jurors would vote. He said the holdout has been identified and that an inquiry is set for Friday morning, according to People reporting via AOL.
Why does the Lindsay Clancy jury split matter now?
The closely watched trial ended a sixth day of deliberations without a verdict. A jury note triggered an extended, testy sidebar involving the attorneys, Judge William Sullivan, and Clancy herself.
After that exchange, jurors briefly resumed deliberations. Reddington told the court the foreperson's note said one juror "refuses to listen to the law."
Sullivan then reminded jurors about the law and reasonable doubt before sending them home. They are due back Friday at 9 a.m. More true crime and unsolved mysteries coverage is tracking how such impasses can reshape high-profile cases.
What are the charges and competing arguments?
Clancy is charged with first-degree murder. She does not deny that she killed her three children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan — by strangling them in their Duxbury, Mass., home in January 2023 before jumping from a second-story window.
Reddington has argued she was in a state of psychosis and suffering from overmedication, making her not criminally responsible. In closings, he said medical providers failed her after she sought help for postpartum mental health issues.
Prosecutors say she was not psychotic and that the killings were deliberate. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague said Clancy was depressed and "didn't want to try anymore," arguing the children were her "protective factor" and that she "had to remove the protective factor."
Could the case end in a mistrial?
Before Thursday's drama, the jury twice told Sullivan it was deadlocked and unable to reach a unanimous verdict. On Wednesday, he issued a Tuey-Rodriguez instruction — sometimes called a dynamite charge — urging jurors toward a verdict.
That step often means a mistrial looms if the panel stays stuck. Reddington, however, said he hopes to avoid that outcome and wants the alleged holdout removed rather than a mistrial declaration.