Story perspectives

Massachusetts judge declares mistrial after juror deadlock

9/9/2026

Summary

Judge Sullivan Declares Mistrial

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy’s Massachusetts murder trial.
The 12-person jury deadlocked 11-1 because a male juror rejected a not-guilty-by-insanity vote.
Judge Sullivan denied Defense attorney Kevin Reddington’s request to dismiss the holdout.
Prosecutors have not set a retrial, with a status hearing scheduled for September 29.
Clancy’s lawyer said he is willing to discuss a plea deal with District Attorney Tim Cruz.

Summary

Jurors Emotional Deliberations

Jurors said deliberations were emotionally intense, with frequent crying, hugging, and self-care.
Roni Carlson, a retired fifth-grade teacher and foreperson, will attend any retrial to support the defense.
Kellie Farina, a senior-center chef, and Paula Devlin, a defense-contractor employee, criticized the prosecution’s lack of compassion for victims’ families.
Kellie Farina, a senior-center chef, and Paula Devlin, a defense-contractor employee, praised Kevin Reddington’s authentic style resonating with the jury.

History

Historical Context

The 1982 not-guilty-by-insanity verdict for John Hinckley Jr. sparked Congress’s 1984 Insanity Defense Reform Act, which shifted the burden of proof to defendants and prompted 80% of U.S. insanity-defense reforms between 1978 and 1990. That tighter framework underlies the 2024 Lindsay Clancy murder trial, where Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial after an 11-1 deadlock on an insanity plea.

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Judge Sullivan Declares Mistrial

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy’s Massachusetts murder trial.
The 12-person jury deadlocked 11-1 because a male juror rejected a not-guilty-by-insanity vote.
Judge Sullivan denied Defense attorney Kevin Reddington’s request to dismiss the holdout.
Prosecutors have not set a retrial, with a status hearing scheduled for September 29.
Clancy’s lawyer said he is willing to discuss a plea deal with District Attorney Tim Cruz.

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