Jurors are excused without reaching a verdict in Lindsay Clancy murder trial

Lindsay Clancy watches jurors enter the courtroom for their second day of deliberations as defence attorney Kevin Reddington sits to her right at Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass., Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Warning: Graphic content

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Jurors were excused Friday afternoon after not yet reaching a verdict in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. The jury in Plymouth, Massachusetts, must decide whether to hold the former labour and delivery nurse criminally responsible for killing her three children in 2023. They are expected to resume deliberations Monday.

While both sides agree she killed her children, Clancy’s attorneys argued she suffered from postpartum psychosis, with Kevin Reddington saying “ lousy medical care ” exacerbated her condition. Plymouth County prosecutors argued she intentionally planned the killings and that the nation’s healthcare system is “ not on trial here.”

Postpartum psychosis is estimated to afflict 1 to 2 per 1,000 women after delivery. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic describe it as a mental health emergency affecting someone’s sense of reality. It can happen to anyone after giving birth, but the chances are higher for people with certain mental health conditions. Though most people with postpartum psychosis don’t harm their children, mothers with severe cases may try to do so, and also may try to harm themselves.

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Here’s the latest:

Clancy’s attorney says he doesn’t know what the outcome will be

“I’m never confident,” defence attorney Kevin Reddington told reporters as he left the courthouse on Friday.

“I don’t know what a jury’s gonna do, so I’m not gonna say, `Oh yeah, I’m confident.’ I have no idea,” he said. “They work hard. It’s been a long trial and I have faith in the jury system.”

Asked how Clancy was doing, Reddington said she was “nervous, scared, beat down as usual.”

“If I took you and put you in a locked room and you were looking at a possibility of three consecutive life sentences, what would you feel like?”

Judge allows jurors to go home with no verdict reached

“See everybody Monday morning,” Judge William Sullivan said Friday afternoon.

Defence lawyer says jury asked to see knife and pill bottles

During the trial, jurors were shown a bloody knife that Clancy used in an attempt to take her life along with bags containing empty prescription pill bottles that were found in her house.

Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, says the jury asked to see the knife and bags of pill bottles during deliberations on Friday.

During closing arguments on Thursday, Reddington held up a bag of empty pill bottles that he said he found in Clancy’s nightstand.

He argued it shows the police did not thoroughly investigate and questioned why police did not seize it for evidence.

“I was able to grab this,” he told the jury. “Why wouldn’t the police have grabbed this? You can see they’re all empty. You can see when they were prescribed. You can see what they are. You can see what she took.”

Judge holds sidebar with lawyers

Court returned to session briefly, and Judge William Sullivan called the prosecution and defence to a sidebar conversation.

It was not immediately clear what was said.

Jurors were not in the courtroom.

It wasn’t clear whether the jury had a question, had asked to see a piece of evidence, or some other issue.

Defence lawyer says Clancy is ‘very sad, scared’

Speaking to reporters as he entered the courtroom Friday morning, attorney Kevin Reddington said Clancy has had those feelings since the killings.

Asked why, he responded: “What would you be scared of?”

Reddington said he hopes the jury will come back with a verdict on Friday, but acknowledged deliberations could take longer.

“There are 290-something exhibits, five weeks of testimony,” he said. “It’s obviously a lot of work. They have been very attentive. I don’t know how long it will take them.”

Jury returns to the deliberations room

The 12 regular jurors and six alternates were called into the courtroom briefly early Friday.

The judge asked them if they had read or heard anything about the case that might affect their ability to deliberate impartially, or if there were any concerns about continuing their service. The jurors all answered no.

The judge then sent the jury back to the deliberations room to begin their second day.

The charges Clancy faces come with a host of possible penalties

Jurors must decide whether Clancy committed first-degree murder in each child’s death. The charge, which requires proof of premeditation and malice, carries a sentence of life without parole.

If jurors acquit her of that charge, they must consider lesser charges.

If the jury finds Clancy not guilty, a judge can order an evaluation. If she is found mentally ill and a danger to herself or others, the court can commit her to a state mental hospital for six months. She would be assessed annually, but could remain hospitalized for the rest of her life.

If she is no longer considered dangerous or suffering from a mental illness, Clancy would be discharged.

Michael Casey, The Associated Press

If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with mental illness, here are some resources that are available.

Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline (Call or text 988 or visit 988.ca)

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1-800-463-2338)

Kids Help Phone [phone])

If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.