Lindsay Clancy second trial decision awaits after jury mistrial
Prosecutors have not said whether they will retry Lindsay Clancy after a deadlocked jury ended her murder trial without a verdict.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
A decision on a Lindsay Clancy second trial has not been announced after a Massachusetts jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, ending her murder case in a mistrial on Friday.
Clancy remains charged and is being held at a psychiatric hospital while prosecutors decide their next move, NBC News and the Associated Press reported. Judge William Sullivan has scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 29.
Will Lindsay Clancy face a second trial?
It is possible, but not decided. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said there would be no immediate decision on whether his office would seek another trial, according to the Associated Press.
Prosecutors may ask for a new trial before a new jury, negotiate a plea agreement or dismiss the charges. Any retrial would need to be scheduled around the availability of lawyers, witnesses and the court, the AP reported.
Clancy faced three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the 2023 deaths of her children. The trial centered on whether she was criminally responsible: her defense maintained that postpartum psychosis drove her actions, while prosecutors argued that she understood what she was doing, according to the AP and BBC News.
What does the mistrial mean?
A mistrial ends a trial without a verdict. It does not establish that prosecutors proved the charges, and it does not amount to a finding that Clancy is not guilty, BBC News reported.
The jury deliberated for seven days and had told the judge three times that it could not reach a unanimous decision, according to the BBC. For more on how panels are selected and deliberate, read Dayline's guide to how jury duty works.
What happens before the Sept. 29 hearing?
Clancy will remain hospitalized while the criminal case is unresolved, the AP reported. The Sept. 29 hearing could show whether prosecutors intend to begin the work of putting the case before another jury.
New York Law School professor Heather Ellis Cucolo told the AP that prosecutors commonly consider the expected cost and likely result when deciding whether to retry a case. Those are potential considerations, not an indication of what the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office will decide.
The exact reason the jury reached an impasse has not been established in the reporting. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said one juror prevented an acquittal, but the AP reported that the jury's path to deadlock was unclear.
- Confirmed: The first trial ended without a verdict.
- Next date: Sept. 29, before Judge Sullivan.
- Still undecided: Whether prosecutors will pursue a new trial, a plea agreement or dismissal.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.