Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy, who admitted strangling her three children, cannot claim double jeopardy following an 11-1 deadlocked mistrial

A Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three young children had her triple murder trial end in a mistrial after jurors deadlocked, according to court proceedings.

Lindsay Clancy faced three counts of first-degree murder along with other charges in Plymouth Superior Court, court records show.

The ruling followed more than five days and 30 hours of jury deliberations, according to court proceedings.

Judge William Sullivan officially declared the mistrial after being informed that the 12-person panel could not reach a unanimous verdict, court records show.

The panel stood deadlocked with 11 jurors in agreement and one lone juror dissenting, according to court proceedings.

Clancy stood accused in the 2023 deaths of her three children, prosecutors said.

The victims were identified as 5-year-old Cora Clancy, 3-year-old Dawson Clancy, and 8-month-old Callan Clancy, according to court records.

Clancy admitted to strangling the three children to death, according to court proceedings.

She then jumped from a second-story window in an alleged suicide attempt, prosecutors said.

Her defense team argued that Clancy should not be held criminally liable for the killings, court records show.

Defense lawyers told the court that Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis before and during the deaths, according to court proceedings.

Prosecutors insisted that Clancy was aware of her actions despite her documented mental health struggles, court records show.

The defendant was able to differentiate right from wrong when the children were killed, prosecutors argued.

Deliberations stretched past 30 hours before the jury reported the impasse on the three murder counts, according to court proceedings.

The foreperson informed Judge Sullivan on Friday, September 4, that the panel was divided 11-1, court records show.

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington asked the court for permission to poll the jurors on lesser offenses, according to court proceedings.

Reddington sought to learn whether the panel had reached consensus on any lesser charges, court records show. Judge Sullivan denied the request.

Judge Sullivan then granted the defense team a one-hour window to petition the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, according to court proceedings.

The defense sought an emergency stay from the state high court, court records show.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court declined to intervene, according to court proceedings.

Judge Sullivan formally declared the mistrial following the high court’s refusal to issue a stay, court records show.

The judge then formally dismissed the twelve jurors, according to court proceedings.

The declaration of a mistrial left open the question of whether Clancy will face a second trial, prosecutors said.

Under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, criminal defendants are protected from double jeopardy, court records show.

The constitutional protection prevents an individual from being tried twice for the same offense after an acquittal or a conviction, according to legal standards.

A mistrial takes place when a criminal jury cannot reach a verdict or when proceedings cannot conclude, according to the American Bar Association.

Deadlocked juries represent a common cause for mistrials in criminal courtrooms, according to court standards.

Because the jury reached no verdict on the charges against Clancy, double jeopardy protections do not bar retrial, according to court proceedings.

Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz retains the legal authority to retry the defendant on the indictment, court records show.

Cruz addressed the possibility of a retrial during a press briefing outside the courthouse on Friday, according to court proceedings.

“I do know that one of the questions that’s out there right now [is] regarding retrials,” Cruz told reporters.

“I will let you know that there will be no decision today,” the district attorney said.

“I am going to be meeting with my team and will address that [option] further at the appropriate time and in the context of an official court proceeding,” Cruz said.

Reddington had previously voiced concern that Clancy would not have the strength to endure another trial, according to defense statements.

The defense attorney addressed reporters following the mistrial declaration on Friday, court records show. Reddington stated that Clancy will “be ready” if the prosecution moves forward with a new trial.

“Judge Sullivan is indicating that we are looking at sometime in the fall,” Reddington clarified.

Lawyers for both the prosecution and the defense are scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, September 29, to determine the next steps in the case, according to court records.