A 42-year-old mother of three from Wisconsin, Brandee Mulligan, is the woman behind a fundraiser that has raised $1.2 million for the parents of Lindsay Clancy. It’s worth noting that she has no personal connection to Clancy, her estranged husband, or her parents, Michael and Paula Musgrove. Mulligan set up a GoFundMe page last month without prior discussions with them.
“They were completely unaware and just really grateful and overwhelmed by the support,” Mulligan shared.
She mentioned that as a mother, she feels a deep sense of empathy for Lindsay. “I don’t want to focus too much on the Lindsay aspect of it. But, I mean, it’s a huge part of it,” she remarked, while also emphasizing the sacrifice of Clancy’s parents.
“Her parents have uprooted their whole life for three and a half years. They’ve given everything to this,” she noted.
Mulligan has since connected with Clancy’s father and made him the sole beneficiary of the fund. Interestingly, Massachusetts lacks laws preventing accused individuals from receiving donations for their legal battles, which raises questions about how the funds might be used.
This situation exists in one of the 23 states without a so-called “Son of Sam” law, designed to restrict criminals from profiting off their crimes. Thus, Clancy’s father could potentially transfer money to his daughter or utilize it for her legal defense.
Clancy’s lawyer previously mentioned that “every nickel” spent on her defense had come from the Musgroves, and they are nearly exhausting their resources.
The GoFundMe page is the only one publicly recognized by the platform as being connected to Clancy’s family. Mulligan frequently posts supportive messages for Clancy online, expressing her discontent after a mistrial was declared recently. “This is truly a jury of her peers,” she said on TikTok, while also criticizing a juror’s decision.
Contrarily, Mulligan has shared certain posts that raised doubts about Patrick Clancy’s role in the tragedy, including questioning his alibi based on surveillance footage and the lack of phone records from investigators.
Patrick Clancy’s attorney has condemned the “growing campaign of misinformation” driven by online influencers, vowing to hold them accountable for any falsehoods.
When contacted, Mulligan stood firm on her views about Patrick Clancy, saying, “I don’t have any comment on that.” She explained that the fund, which has attracted over 1,000 donors, is meant to assist Clancy’s parents with travel expenses from Connecticut to Massachusetts for the trial. Following the mistrial, she raised the fundraising target from $2 million to $3 million.
“They’ve been in hotels, they’ve depleted their savings, and they’re the ones that footed the bill for her legal things,” Mulligan added regarding Clancy’s parents. “They’ve been the ones supporting Lindsay.”
Despite GoFundMe’s policies against funding for criminal defense in violent crime cases, the platform has not addressed inquiries about the safeguards in place to prevent the funds from being used for Clancy’s defense. “Everybody’s very clear on what it can and can’t be used for. And the families, they know that,” Mulligan asserted.
She further elaborated on the emotional weight of the campaign, emphasizing the universal challenges faced by mothers. “Being a mom is hard, and it’s resonated with a lot of people all over the world. So many women. It’s incredible,” she said.
She expressed hope that this case could lead to change regarding support for mothers in distress.
Despite the fundraising success, Mulligan has faced considerable criticism online, including comments accusing her of insanity for supporting Clancy. “You’re setting women back decades,” she responded to one such remark.
Attempts to reach Clancy’s parents for commentary have gone unanswered.
