Jurors in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy reached an impasse after nearly 18 hours of deliberation, telling a Massachusetts judge they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict regarding the 36-year-old mother accused of strangling her three children in January 2023, according to court proceedings detailed by USA Today and The New York Post.
Deadlock Announced in Plymouth Superior Court
The 12-person jury—consisting of nine women and three men—notified Judge William Sullivan on September 1, 2026, that they could not agree on a verdict after reviewing evidence across multiple days.
The panel subsequently deliberated for several more hours before asking to recess for the day, returning to court to continue discussions.
Dueling Legal Arguments Over Postpartum Psychosis
Clancy has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan, inside the family’s Duxbury home on January 24, 2023.
Prosecutors countered that Clancy acted with premeditation, pointing to actions such as sending her then-husband, Patrick Clancy, to pick up takeout food and medication so she could remain alone with the children. Following the incident, Clancy cut her wrists and neck and jumped from a second-story window, leaving her paralyzed, according to USA Today.
Potential Next Steps If Deliberations Remain Stalled
Legal analysts following the case note that if the jury remains deadlocked after further review, Judge Sullivan could issue a formal supplemental instruction known in Massachusetts as a “Tuey-Rodriguez” charge. Boston defense attorney Peter Elikann explained to The New York Post that the instruction encourages jurors to re-examine their views and attempt to reach a unanimous agreement. If an agreement remains unattainable following that step, the judge retains the discretion to declare a mistrial, which would allow prosecutors to evaluate whether to pursue a retrial.
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