Full Breakdown
Holdout Juror’s Decision Triggers Mistrial in Lindsay Clancy Murder Trial
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Lone Juror Blocks Not-Guilty Verdict
A twelve-person jury in Massachusetts deadlocked 11-1 when the sole holdout juror voted to find Lindsay Clancy guilty rather than not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on September 4 because the panel could not reach the unanimous verdict required by state law.
Background & Context
Lindsay Clancy, a 36-year-old former labor-and-delivery nurse, admitted to strangling her three children—Cora, Dawson and infant Callan (8 months)—with exercise bands in the family home in Duxbury in January 2023. Her defense argued that severe postpartum psychosis rendered her incapable of understanding the criminal nature of her actions. Prosecutors maintained that she knew right from wrong and acted deliberately.
Key Figures
- Lindsay Clancy – Defendant.
- Judge William Sullivan – Presiding judge.
- Kevin Reddington – Defense attorney who asked the judge to enter a not-guilty verdict after the mistrial.
- Roni Carlson – Jury foreperson.
- Unnamed holdout juror – Black male in his 30s, from a devout Catholic Haitian-immigrant family, recently married.
Data & Statistics
- Jury composition: 12 members; vote split 11-1.
- Deliberations lasted nearly a week, about 40 hours.
- A GiveSendGo fundraiser titled “Stand With the Juror” raised nearly $190,000 toward a $250,000 goal.
Official Statements & Responses
- Judge William Sullivan: Declared a mistrial on September 4, citing the jury’s inability to reach unanimity.
- Kevin Reddington: After the mistrial, filed a motion asking the judge to enter a not-guilty verdict for Clancy.
- Judge Sullivan later sealed the jurors’ names, citing a “real and present” risk of personal harm.
Criticism & Opposition
- Paula Devlin, a fellow juror, described the holdout as “arrogant” and said he refused to listen to jurors who were nurses.
- Nick Dargie, another juror, told ABC News on September 9 that he repeatedly asked the holdout to point to specific evidence supporting his position, but the juror could not provide any.
On-the-Ground Reports
- The juror’s brother reported that the family has been unable to leave their home because strangers leave notes at their mother’s house and make relentless phone calls.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Court documents show the holdout juror was arrested in 2021 for alleged domestic-violence; the charges were dismissed. He was also accused in 2025 of assaulting a teenage nephew, with a restraining order that expired during the trial. Sources differ on whether these incidents were disclosed during jury selection.
- State officials have not announced whether Clancy will face a new trial. A hearing to discuss next legal steps is scheduled for September 29.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We weren't trying to figure out if she murdered the children. She did and she's admitted that,” — Roni Carlson
What’s Next
The September 29 hearing will determine whether prosecutors will retry Clancy, offer a plea deal, or drop the charges. Until then, the case remains at the pre-trial stage, with Clancy still held at the state psychiatric facility in Tewksbury.