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Holdout Juror Blocks Insanity Verdict, Mistrial Declared

9/9/2026

Summary

Holdout Juror Blocks

Foreperson Roni Carlson said a single holdout juror blocked a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict, causing a mistrial.
The 12-person jury was deadlocked 11-1 after roughly 38 hours of deliberations over seven days.
Judge William Sullivan denied defense attorney Kevin Reddington’s request to remove the holdout and declared a mistrial on September 4.
The holdout juror, a man, acknowledged reasonable doubt but refused to vote not-guilty by reason of insanity.

Summary

Healey Lacks Authority

Legal analysts across outlets dismissed the pardon request as legally impossible under established clemency authority.
Governor Maura Healey said she lacks authority to act without a conviction.
Patrick Clancy’s lawyer warned of a defamation lawsuit over online falsehoods linking him to the killings.
Prosecutors are weighing a retrial versus a plea that could keep Clancy in psychiatric care.

History

Historical Context

John Hinckley Jr.’s 1982 not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict prompted Congress to adopt the 1984 Insanity Defense Reform Act after the defense had failed in almost 75 % of cases. The law today still limits juries, as seen in a recent state Massachusetts trial where a 12-person jury deadlocked 11-1 on an insanity plea.

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Holdout Juror Blocks

Foreperson Roni Carlson said a single holdout juror blocked a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict, causing a mistrial.
The 12-person jury was deadlocked 11-1 after roughly 38 hours of deliberations over seven days.
Judge William Sullivan denied defense attorney Kevin Reddington’s request to remove the holdout and declared a mistrial on September 4.
The holdout juror, a man, acknowledged reasonable doubt but refused to vote not-guilty by reason of insanity.

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