Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial returned to Plymouth Superior Court for a sixth day of deliberations on Thursday, September 3, 2026, after twice declaring themselves deadlocked over whether postpartum psychosis renders the former nurse criminally responsible for the 2023 strangulation of her three children.
The high-profile murder case in Plymouth, Massachusetts, stands on the brink of a potential mistrial as a jury of nine women and three men works through a sixth day of discussions. The deliberations stretched past 28 hours over five days before the panel informed the court they remained unable to reach a unanimous decision on whether 36-year-old Lindsay Clancy should be convicted for the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan, who were 5, 3, and 8 months old when they died on January 24, 2023.
Judge William Sullivan Issues the Tuey-Rodriguez Charge
When the jury sent a note stating that they were still at an impasse, Judge William Sullivan responded by reading the state’s traditional “Tuey-Rodriguez” instruction—frequently referred to by local jurists as the dynamite instruction—to strongly encourage the panel to keep working toward a consensus.
“You have been selected in the same manner, and from the same source, as any future jury would be. There is no reason to suppose that the case will ever be submitted to twelve persons who are more intelligent, more impartial, or more competent to decide it or that more or clearer evidence will be produced.”
Legal experts note that the instruction is specifically designed to urge jurors to take a fresh look at the evidence. Daniel Medwed, a professor of law and criminal justice at Northeastern University, explained that the charge really is designed to encourage the jury to take one last look at things and really try,Independent. Outside the courtroom, defense attorney Kevin Reddington acknowledged to reporters that while the judge can administer the Tuey-Rodriguez instruction a second time under state statute, consecutive notes maintaining an absolute impasse leave the door open for a mistrial.
The courtroom drama hinges entirely on Clancy’s mental state on the day of the killings. Clancy does not deny using exercise bands to strangle her children in the basement of their Duxbury home before jumping from a second-story window. The fall left her paralyzed from the waist down.
Photo: Independent
Her defense team argues that she suffered from severe postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder, acting under the influence of auditory hallucinations that told her to kill the children to end her own life.
In contrast, prosecutors contend that Clancy was fully aware of her actions and planned them deliberately, pointing out that she sent her husband out on household errands just before carrying out the acts.
What Happens If a Mistrial Is Declared
If the jury ultimately reports it cannot reach a verdict, Judge Sullivan will declare a mistrial, returning the case to its pre-trial status where Clancy remains charged with murder while held at a psychiatric hospital. Prosecutors would then face a decision on whether to retry the case with a new jury, drop the charges, or pursue a negotiated plea agreement.
Jury indicated again they are deadlocked in Lindsay Clancy trial
Brad Bailey, a Boston defense attorney and former prosecutor not involved in the case, noted that the threat of a murder retrial naturally prompts defense teams to explore resolutions, though prosecuting such cases involves substantial expert witness expenditures.
Courtroom Security and Public Division
Security around the Plymouth courthouse was tightened after an arrest occurred involving a spectator accused of recording images of the jury outside the building.
