Story perspectives

Judge Allows Testimony on Clancy’s Mental State in Trial

8/27/2026

Summary

Judge Allows Testimony

Judge William Sullivan allows rebuttal witnesses to testify on Lindsay Clancy’s mental state in Massachusetts trial.
Forensic psychologist Kirk Heilbrun diagnoses Clancy with bipolar II, psychosis and high suicidality.
Heilbrun says Clancy told children “Go to God” while strangling them, indicating altruistic filicide.
Dr. Lauren Osborne calls postpartum psychosis a medical emergency needing immediate care.
Experts criticize DSM-5 for omitting postpartum psychosis, calling the gap scandalous.

Summary

Clancy Fundraising

Fundraising for Patrick Clancy’s parents surpassed $830,000, drawing massive global donor support.
Bethany Mandel said social-media debates ignore the children’s names.
Hundreds gathered in pink outside Plymouth Superior Court to back maternal-mental-health awareness.
Patrick Clancy posted on GoFundMe asking forgiveness and praising Lindsay as loving.
An assistant district attorney raised a Catholic ‘mortal sin’ question, and the judge told jurors to disregard it.

History

Historical Context

The 2001 drowning of Andrea Yates’s five children in Houston sparked national debate over postpartum psychosis, prompting the M’Naghten rule’s scrutiny, DSM revision calls, and the 2009 MOTHERS Act incorporated into the Affordable Care Act; legislative safeguards championed by Postpartum Support International followed, and today Massachusetts judges cite that precedent while evaluating Lindsay Clancy’s bipolar-II psychosis.

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Judge Allows Testimony

Judge William Sullivan allows rebuttal witnesses to testify on Lindsay Clancy’s mental state in Massachusetts trial.
Forensic psychologist Kirk Heilbrun diagnoses Clancy with bipolar II, psychosis and high suicidality.
Heilbrun says Clancy told children “Go to God” while strangling them, indicating altruistic filicide.
Dr. Lauren Osborne calls postpartum psychosis a medical emergency needing immediate care.
Experts criticize DSM-5 for omitting postpartum psychosis, calling the gap scandalous.

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