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Judge declares mistrial after 11–1 deadlocked jury

9/7/2026

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Summary

Sullivan Declares Mistrial

U.S. Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial after a 12-person jury deadlocked 11-1.
Clancy, a 36-year-old delivery nurse, pleaded not guilty to killing three children.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued Clancy suffered postpartum psychosis and lacked criminal responsibility.
Clancy remains in custody at Tewksbury State Hospital.
A status hearing is set for Sept. 29, 2026 to decide next steps.

Summary

Supporter Arrested

A Clancy supporter was arrested and charged with aggravated intimidation after allegedly filming jurors in the courthouse lot.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington filed a Rule 25(b)(2) motion within five days, seeking a new jury Monday.
Prosecutors and defense may consider a venue change or importing jurors from other counties.
Experts warn extensive media coverage makes finding jurors without formed opinions increasingly difficult.

Summary

Judges Pressure Juries

Valerie Hans of Cornell says hung juries appear in about one in twenty criminal cases.
The 2020 Supreme Court ruling required unanimous criminal verdicts, increasing the burden of proof.
Massachusetts judges employ the Tuey-Rodriguez “dynamite charge” to push deadlocked juries toward agreement.
Heather Cucolo of New York Law School calls the instruction a last-ditch effort to avoid a mistrial.

History

Historical Context

After the 1972 Supreme Court split in Apodaca v. Oregon upheld non-unanimous verdicts in Oregon and Louisiana, about 5 % of U.S. trials later produced deadlocked juries. Louisiana voters reversed the rule with a 2018 amendment, and the Court’s 2020 Ramos v. Louisiana decision required unanimity nationwide. Judge William Sullivan’s 11-1 mistrial in the Clancy case shows the rule’s lingering impact.

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Sullivan Declares Mistrial

U.S. Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial after a 12-person jury deadlocked 11-1.
Clancy, a 36-year-old delivery nurse, pleaded not guilty to killing three children.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued Clancy suffered postpartum psychosis and lacked criminal responsibility.
Clancy remains in custody at Tewksbury State Hospital.
A status hearing is set for Sept. 29, 2026 to decide next steps.

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