Lindsay Clancy trial: Jury sent home for the day without a verdict

The defense blamed one juror for the deadlock.

The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mom who killed her three young children while in the family's home on Jan. 24, 2023, has ended in a mistrial after seven days of juror deadlock.

Clancy's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, claims she was suffering from postpartum psychosis when she strangled her children and attempted to take her own life. The prosecutors, Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham, argue that Clancy -- who pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder -- is criminally responsible for her children's deaths.

Judge William Sullivan, who is overseeing the trial, has set a court date of Sept. 29, 2026, to reconvene and determine next steps.

Watch a special edition of "20/20," "The Trial of Lindsay Clancy," airing Thursday, Sept. 4, at 9/8c on ABC, streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

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Key Headlines

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington speaks after mistrial declared

Reddington is now speaking to reporters, moments after a mistrial was declared in Clancy's murder trial.

Court to reconvene at month's end

The judge set a date of Sept. 29 to determine next steps.

Judge declares mistrial after justice declines to impose emergency stay

Sullivan has declared a mistrial after the jury said repeatedly it was unable to reach a verdict.

"I'm going to declare the jury is deadlocked, and I'm going to declare a mistrial," Sullivan said.

One juror appeared upset and put her head in her hands. Others look frustrated or defeated.

The decision comes after a justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declined to impose an emergency stay filed by Clancy's defense attorney.

Reddington asked again for Sullivan to inquire of the holdout juror, but the judge declined.

Single justice hears oral arguments over defense request for intervention

A single justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard brief oral arguments Friday on the defense request for emergency intervention.

The justice quickly adjourned the hearing to make a decision.

Clancy's attorney, Reddington, argued intervention is necessary to avoid a mistrial.

"It is also necessary to preserve the Defendant's right to a fair trial by unbiased jurors applying the law and to avoid violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments and Article 114, which makes mental illness a protected category," the defense motion stated.

The defense motion for emergency intervention was devoid of case law that would establish precedent for what Reddington is asking for. Instead he wants the state's highest court to step in to "preserve the integrity of the court system."

Reddington faulted the judge overseeing Clancy's trial, Sullivan.

"The Superior Court has abdicated its responsibility to ensure the integrity of the jury by refusing either to inquire further or to dismiss the juror who is refusing to consider doubt as the law states," Reddington's motion stated.

He also faulted the juror, saying their refusal to apply any doubts they have acknowledged during deliberations reflects "a bias against those who suffer from debilitating mental illness."

Prosecutors have argued Sullivan properly exercised his discretion to declare the mistrial after seven days of deadlock.

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