A retired Massachusetts Superior Court Judge has expressed optimism that a verdict in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of murdering her three young children, is still possible despite the jury reporting a deadlock on Tuesday.
Clancy, 36, is facing three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan, who were found strangled at their family's home in January 2023. The jury had been deliberating for over 23 hours over four days before reporting their inability to reach a unanimous decision.
In a note sent to Judge William Sullivan, the jury stated that they were unable to come to a decision after many hours of deliberation. However, Sullivan directed them to resume their work, citing the complexity of the case and the large number of witnesses and exhibits presented.
Retired Judge Jack Lu, who spoke to Fox News Digital, suggested that the deadlock note does not necessarily signal a mistrial is likely. Lu stated that it is common for juries in highly emotional cases to initially report being deadlocked, only to later reach a unanimous verdict. He emphasized that there should be no rush to judgment in this case.
Lu also praised Judge Sullivan for not issuing a Tuey-Rodriguez charge to the jury, which would have encouraged them to continue deliberating toward a unanimous verdict. The retired judge noted that this instruction is used carefully in Massachusetts to avoid pressuring any individual juror.
The jury is expected to resume deliberations on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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