Lindsay Clancy trial: What does a hung jury mean? What happens if they come deadlocked 3rd time?

The jury in the Lindsay Clancy trial, which is taking place in Plymouth, Massachusetts, has indicated they are struggling to reach a verdict after four days of deliberation. Judge William Sullivan has requested the jury to continue deliberating a second time in an effort to bring them to a decision. However, the judge can only make this request three times before he has the option to declare it a mistrial.

A hung jury signifies that the jurors are unable to reach a unanimous verdict, which is necessary in a criminal case. Some notable cases involving hung juries include Bill Cosby's first sexual assault trial, the Karen Reed case, and the recent Jonathan Rinderknecht Palisades fire case. In Lindsay Clancy's case, the jury is divided over whether she is criminally responsible for the deaths of her three children.

As of now, the jury has not yet declared a hung jury or a mistrial. Massachusetts law allows the judge to declare a mistrial if the jury remains deadlocked after being asked to deliberate three times. If the jury returns hung for the second time, the judge can issue the Tuey-Rodriguez charge, also known as a "dynamite" or "deadlock" charge, which instructs the jury to go back, reconsider their positions, and make a genuine effort to reach a unanimous verdict.