Lindsay Clancy jury deliberations enter Day 7 after dispute over 1 juror
Lindsay Clancy Trial: Day 7 of jury deliberations amid holdout dispute
A dramatic sixth day of deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial ended without a verdict after a note from the jury foreperson suggested a single juror is refusing to follow the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt. FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso reports.
PLYMOUTH, Mass. - Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial returned for a seventh day of deliberations after a dispute over one juror added another complication to the closely watched case.
The jury foreperson told the judge that one juror would not follow the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt, according to the Associated Press. Judge William Sullivan declined a defense request to remove the juror and instead sent the full panel back to continue deliberating.
No verdict or mistrial has been declared.
PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 3: Defense attorney Kevin Reddington is surrounded by the press as he leaves the courthouse after Judge William Sullivan sent the jury home following the conclusion of deliberations for the sixth day in the trial o
What happened with the juror?
What we know:
The disclosure came in a note from the jury foreperson after jurors had already twice reported they were unable to reach a unanimous decision.
The judge questioned jurors individually in private, then repeated the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt before deliberations resumed.
Details of the disagreement inside the jury room have not been publicly disclosed.
Why the judge kept the full jury
The other side:
Clancy’s defense attorney asked the judge to remove the juror and replace them with an alternate.
Sullivan declined to do so, according to the AP. The judge kept all 12 jurors on the panel and instructed them to continue their work.
What happens if the jury still cannot agree?
Big picture view:
The case is now closer to a possible mistrial, but a mistrial is not automatic.
Jurors have already twice reported an impasse. If they again report they cannot reach a unanimous decision, the judge cannot require them to keep deliberating unless they agree to do so.
A mistrial would not resolve the case. Prosecutors could decide whether to seek a new trial, negotiate another resolution or drop the charges.
Read more: What happens if there is a hung jury in the Lindsay Clancy trial?
What is the jury deciding?
What's next:
Clancy, 36, is charged in the 2023 deaths of her three children: Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months.
She has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility. Her attorneys argue she was experiencing postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors contend she knew what she was doing when she killed the children.
The Source: This article was written using information from the Associated Press and prior FOX 5 NY reporting.