A retired Massachusetts Superior Court Judge has expressed skepticism about the idea that the Lindsay Clancy murder trial will end with a hung jury. This follows a deadlock note from the jury on Tuesday, but the judge believes a verdict is still within reach.
Lindsay Clancy, who is 36, is facing three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her children—Cora, Dawson, and Callan, all under six years old—who were tragically found strangled in their home back in January 2023.
The jury went home after deliberating for over 23 hours across four days. In a note to Judge William Sullivan, they reported being “unable to come to a unanimous decision” after many hours of discussions. The judge instructed them to continue their deliberations.
He acknowledged the lengthy nature of the trial, mentioning the extensive witness testimonies and the large number of exhibits involved. Sullivan encouraged the jury to keep in mind his initial instructions as they resumed deliberating.
Retired Judge Jack Lu shared insights with Fox News Digital, noting that the deadlock doesn’t automatically suggest a likely mistrial. He pointed out that it’s quite common for juries in highly emotional cases to initially state they’re deadlocked, but they can indeed reach a unanimous verdict later on. “There should be no rush to judgment,” he remarked.
The jury is weighing several options, which range from first-degree murder to different degrees of manslaughter, as well as considerations of insanity and a not guilty verdict.
Lu commended Judge Sullivan for not issuing a Tuey-Rodriguez charge, which would prompt the jury to keep deliberating toward unanimity. This instruction is carefully considered in Massachusetts to avoid putting excess pressure on any individual juror. “It’s a critical public service,” Lu noted about the jurors’ role in such serious cases.
While he acknowledged the jury’s current uncertainty, Lu stated it remains early to interpret the deadlock as a sign that they will ultimately reach an impasse. He believes they could deliberate for much longer if necessary.
Jurors are set to reconvene on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. to continue their discussions.
