Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer addresses possible plea deal as verdict is thrown into chaos by woman accused of ‘filming jury’: Live updates

Lindsay Clancy’s defense attorney Kevin Reddington criticized District Attorney Tim Cruz for pursuing the first-degree murder charges against her.

‘You should ask Mr Cruz why he did not reduce the charges to second degree so that the matter could be waived by a jury and tried by a judge,’ he told reporters as he left court on Tuesday.

‘You should ask Mr Cruz why we’re trying a case on triple homicide, first degree, not me. You cannot try jury waved first degree murder in Massachusetts it has to be by a jury, and he drives the bus.

‘The judge has no control over it; I have no control over it; it’s entirely up to the DA.’

When asked by a reporter if he would consider a plea deal for Clancy, Reddington replied: ‘Ask Mr Cruz if he’d offer one. It’s the only thing I can tell you because I have no control over it.’

On the latest episode of The Crime Desk’s The Trial USA: The Trial of Lindsay Clancy podcast, host Kayla Brantley is joined by crime correspondent Rachel Sharp who has been in court every day covering the murder trial.

Clancy, 36, is on trial for killing her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan – at her home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 2023.

She does not deny killing them but has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming she was suffering from severe post-partum mental illness that left her unable to control her own actions.

The trial has become a battle over whether or not Clancy should be criminally responsible for the death of her children with the defense and prosecution submitting opposing psychiatric assessments of the mother of three.

After the sidebar and individual questions, the jury returned to the courtroom.

The judge asked them his usual questions – if they had read anything about the case and if there were any issues impacting their ability to serve.

He then ordered them to continue deliberations, and the court went into recess.

Judge Sullivan opened court today by reminding everyone of the rules in this case.

‘I just want to remind everybody here and elsewhere that there has been an order that has been issued in regards to the conducting of this case, as well as statutes in this Commonwealth which relate to jurors, witnesses, attorneys and others in regards to this proceeding,’ he said.

‘Everybody should be well aware that order and that statute are being enforced and will be enforced. So I just wanted to put that out there with no follow-up or editorial comment.’

The judge then called a sidebar with the attorneys, and now each juror appears to be called up to the stand and sworn in.

Each juror so far has only been at the bench for a matter of seconds – sworn in, asked something by the judge, then leave again.

We have seen this happen once before – after the huge rally held outside the court.

The jurors were each called to the bench and asked individually the questions they are asked each morning – about whether or not anything has impacted their ability to be a fair and impartial juror.

Lindsay Clancy wears a baby-blue blouse, and her long, dark hair falls in loose waves around her shoulders.

Kevin Reddington and his team members have arrived and gone inside the courtroom.

Lindsay Clancy’s priest, Father Bob, also here today.

Her parents and sister have just entered the courtroom as well.

The nine women and three men selected to determine Lindsay Clancy’s fate have now deliberated for around 23 hours over four days.

Tuesday morning, they told the judge they were deadlocked and unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Judge Sullivan told them to continue deliberating. Hours later, they asked to go home for the day.

The jury must reach a unanimous decision on whether Clancy is guilty of murder, manslaughter or not criminally responsible for her actions.

If they are unable to reach a verdict, the judge will eventually be forced to declare a mistrial.

The group has not be sequestered during discussions.

Just minutes after the Lindsay Clancy jury was excused for the day on Tuesday, a woman was arrested outside the courthouse and charged with intimidation.

Dawn Light, 56, of Sutton, was taken into custody outside Plymouth District Court at 3.40pm on Tuesday and charged with intimidation of a witness, jurors or person furnishing information in connection with criminal proceedings, Massachusetts State Police announced.

Police wouldn’t confirm if the charge is related to the Clancy trial, but Light’s arrest came just 10 minutes after the jury was excused for the day as a stalemate continues.

Light is set to be arraigned today inside the same courthouse where jury deliberations will resume to determine Clancy’s fate.

It remains to be seen if Judge William Sullivan will bring the incident up this morning – or if security is ramped up for the jury from now on.

There are two parking lots at the courthouse – one to the left of the doors and one to the right.

The one to the right is where all the media is set up and general public parking. The left side is where court staff and the jurors park – and where everyone has been warned they cannot film.