Judge says he’ll declare mistrial in Lindsay Clancy case after jury cannot reach verdict

CRIME Judge in Lindsay Clancy case can declare a mistrial, court says By Michael Casey The Associated Press Posted September 4, 2026 11:58 am Updated September 4, 2026 2:30 pm 4 min read WATCH LIVE: Judge declares mistrial in Lindsay Clancy murder case in Massachusetts LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE The top court in Massachusetts has refused to stop the judge in the Lindsay Clancy case from declaring a mistrial, the judge said in court on Friday, after jurors said for a third time they could not reach a verdict. Judge William Sullivan announced in court that jurors — now in their seventh day of deliberations — sent a third note saying they can’t reach a unanimous decision on whether the Massachusetts mother is criminally responsible for killing her three young children in 2023. The judge said he was going to declare a mistrial before suddenly changing course and giving her defense attorney one hour to appeal. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court quickly rejected the appeal. “I’m going to declare a mistrial at this point,” Sullivan said earlier on Friday before the defense asked for stay of the declaration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT 1:49 Lindsay Clancy trial puts spotlight on maternal mental health Stick to the Facts Add Global News as a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our stories in your search results. The trial has generated intense interest for more than a month, deeply dividing the public and drawing attention to issues around maternal mental health after childbirth. Clancy’s attorney said she was suffering from a rare condition called postpartum psychosis when she strangled her kids, the youngest just 8 months old, then tried to take her own life. Prosecutors said Clancy, a 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, knew what she was doing. The deadlocked jury started a seventh day of deliberations Friday hot on the heels of another dramatic day on Thursday that saw the jury’s foreperson tell the judge a single juror wouldn’t follow the court’s instructions about reasonable doubt. Get breaking Ottawa news Get breaking Ottawa news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story. SIGN UP FOR BREAKING OTTAWA NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY…