A Massachusetts judge has declared a mistrial in the murder case against Lindsay Clancy after jurors, who deliberated for about a week, conceded they would not be able to unanimously decide whether she should be held criminally liable for killing her three young children.
The case against Clancy has both captivated and heavily divided the American public, even spurring remarks from the US president. There was a sense of disbelief in the courtroom as the case - and Clancy's future - are now left in limbo.
Clancy's lawyer led a dramatic last-ditch attempt to halt the mistrial and force a verdict, which was unsuccessful. A hearing later this month could establish what happens next in the case.
"At this point, I'm going to declare that the jury is deadlocked, and I'm going to declare a mistrial," Judge Sullivan told the jury on Friday, dismissing them after weeks of testimony and nearly a week of deliberation, with the panel signalling three times that they were deadlocked.
The deadlock - known as a hung jury - does not mean prosecutors have proven their case, nor does it mean the defendant is not guilty. A hearing was scheduled for 29 September, where prosecutors could outline their next steps.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old former nurse will remain held on the same murder charges and continue to stay in the mental health facility where she is currently housed. Prosecutors could decide from a host of options, including holding another trial or reaching a plea agreement with Clancy over the strangulation of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, eight months, in their Massachusetts home.
After killing the children, Clancy cut herself with a knife and jumped from a second-story window in an attempt to take her own life, which has left her paralyzed. She does not deny killing the children in 2023 but pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, with her lawyers arguing she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and should not be held criminally responsible.
The grim case led to a series of dramatic twists and turns. On Friday, court began with Clancy's attorney Kevin Reddington pushing for a juror to be removed after the jury indicated a day prior that a member was not following instructions on reasonable doubt. Judge Sullivan denied the request and sent jurors back to deliberate. About an hour later, the panel returned saying they still could not reach a verdict.
Reddington immediately pleaded for a temporary pause to file an emergency appeal with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, but the state's high court denied the request, paving the way for the mistrial. Clancy appeared downcast as the judge made the ruling official, while her lawyer looked visibly upset.
The mistrial came after six weeks of court proceedings and after jurors deliberated for more than 40 hours over seven days. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said they would decide whether to pursue a new trial, stating, "The facts are Lindsay Clancy killed her three children and the evidence suggested to us that she was in control of her actions when she committed those homicides."
Outside the court, Reddington said he believed 11 of the 12 jurors would have delivered a verdict favoring Clancy had it not been for one holdout. But it remains unclear what position any member of the jury took.
For weeks the case gripped the country and sparked debate over postpartum psychosis. Many followed livestreams of the trial, with over 200 members of the media crowding the court daily. The widespread attention even spurred comments from US President Donald Trump, who called the case a "horrible tragedy" and said, "She did a horrible, horrible thing. Can't be worse. I assume there's going to be another trial."
Source: www.bbc.co.uk