Patrick Clancy speaks out after mistrial in Lindsay Clancy case

Judge William F. Sullivan declared a mistrial on September 4 after a jury deadlocked 11‑1 on the murder of three children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months — in their Duxbury home on January 24, 2023. The decision leaves a pending status‑conference set for September 29 and forces the district attorney’s office to decide whether to pursue a second trial.

Patrick Clancy’s lawyer, David Meier, issued a statement shortly after the verdict was read.

"Patrick Clancy is grateful to the Court and to the jurors for their hard work, their commitment, and their perseverance,”

Media additions

David Meier, attorney for Patrick Clancy, via Eonline

He added, “The loss of Patrick’s children is something from which he will never recover and from which there will never be closure.” The prospect of “reliving this tragedy through another trial,” Meier said, would be “extraordinarily painful, for Patrick, for his family, and for all of us.”

Outside the courthouse, Lindsay Clancy’s attorney Rosemary Scapicchio told reporters that her client’s team will “hold each and every doctor and each and every hospital responsible for how they failed Lindsay time and time and time again.” She described another trial as “devastating to her, it’s devastating to her family. This is a nightmare that’s never going to end.”

Kevin Reddington, the defendant’s counsel, has been vocal about the lone juror who, in his view, blocked a unanimous verdict. He initially moved to have that juror replaced, arguing that the juror’s personal issue prevented a fair application of the law. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied the motion, and Judge Sullivan refused to discharge the juror, describing the discharge of a deliberating juror as “a sensitive undertaking, fraught with potential error.”​ As a result, the court set a September 29 hearing during which Reddington intends to argue that the evidence does not meet the threshold for a guilty verdict and that the judge should enter an automatic not‑guilty verdict. Prosecutors are expected to move for a retrial.

The trial, which began on July 27 in Plymouth Superior Court, featured a series of emotionally charged testimonies. The first witness called was Patrick Clancy himself on July 29. He described a “good mood” morning on the day his children died, recounting that Lindsay built a snowman, took daughter Cora to a doctor’s appointment, and that he “kissed one of the kids on the head and told them I’d be right back.” He said he never saw any sign that his wife intended harm, even after she disclosed “intrusive thoughts” about harming the children during what he called a “big spiral” that began in December 2023 after she started a new medication.

Patrick testified that he learned the term “postpartum psychosis” only after the tragedy and that he did not know “what psychosis was until after this happened.” He also recounted the 911 call played for the jury, in which he shouted, “She killed the kids!” while dispatchers repeatedly asked what had occurred.

Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham opened the case by stating, “She strangled the children with exercise bands ‘deliberately and meticulously.’” The prosecution’s narrative painted the deaths as a calculated act, whereas the defense leaned heavily on mental‑health arguments. Reddington told the court that Lindsay suffered from bipolar disorder and that a “male voice” instructed her, “This is your last chance. Kill the children so you can kill yourself.” He urged the judge to consider those statements in deciding whether the defendant possessed the requisite criminal intent.

Forensic evidence added further complexity. Forensic toxicologist Justin Brower testified that Lindsay’s blood contained the antidepressant mirtazapine, the mood stabilizer lamotrigine, the antidepressant trazodone and the antipsychotic quetiapine. He noted that only the level of quetiapine was “slightly elevated, but it wasn’t at a ‘toxic’ or ‘suicidal concentration.’” Brower cautioned that toxicology “doesn’t tell the entire story.”

Digital‑forensics expert Ian Whiffin described Lindsay’s online searches in the days leading up to the murders, including queries such as “how quickly does wellbutrin work for depression,” “ketamine for suicidal ideation,” and “postpartum psychosis” five days before the killings. On the day of the deaths, she searched “kids miralax” and “CVS pharmacy.” Whiffin also presented data from the Apple Health app showing that she climbed two flights of stairs at 5:03 p.m. And 5:33 p.m. On January 24.

Testimony from the family’s nanny, Elaine Rossi, painted a contrasting picture. She told the court she “observed a wonderful mom who loved her kids,” noting that she was “concerned about their safety, and Callan eating and sleeping.” Former colleague Andrea Hennigan echoed that Lindsay told her after Callan’s birth that she “didn’t plan to go back to work” because she “was not in a mental state to take care of patients,” adding that she talked about insomnia and “brain fog.” Both witnesses underscored the defense’s claim that Lindsay’s mental‑health struggles were genuine and severe.

The prosecution also highlighted a harrowing moment on August 6 when autopsy photos of eight‑month‑old Callan were shown. Lindsay broke down in court, prompting defense attorney Reddington to accuse a prosecutor of a “hot‑mic” slip in which a staff member allegedly said, “shut her up.” The prosecutor’s office later said the audible phrase was “shut it off,” referring to the autopsy images, and that the comment was not directed at Lindsay.

Throughout the trial, the media spotlight swung between the grim facts of the case and the debate over postpartum psychosis as a legal defense. NBC News quoted Reddington saying, “I think, Patrick, you heard the 911 call; I think you can judge his credibility by that 911 call,” while also addressing online speculation: “It’s amazing how they’re able to figure out facts, and they do investigations; it’s just truly amazing.”

District Attorney Tim Cruz, who opened the prosecution’s case, emphasized that “the end goal is to bring justice for Cora, Dawson and Callan,” and reiterated that the children remain victims whose lives must be honored in whatever legal outcome follows.

With the September 29 hearing looming, the court will weigh Reddington’s request for an automatic acquittal against the likely move by prosecutors to seek a retrial. If a new trial is ordered, the case could extend for months, revisiting testimonies, forensic evidence and the contentious mental‑health defense. If the judge accepts the defense’s motion, it would result in a dismissal without another trial, a scenario that both sides describe as unprecedented in the state’s criminal history.

All eyes now turn to the September 29 status conference, where the judge’s ruling will determine whether the community sees a second trial, an automatic not‑guilty verdict, or another procedural step. The decision will shape the legal narrative surrounding postpartum psychosis and will offer, if only briefly, a point of closure for a family that has endured relentless public scrutiny.