What happens next if the jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial can’t reach a verdict?

If the jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial cannot reach a verdict after a fifth day of deliberation on Wednesday, a mistrial will be declared. This means the case will essentially return to its original status, with 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse Lindsay Clancy charged with murder and currently held at a psychiatric hospital awaiting resolution of the criminal case. She will likely face another trial, although prosecutors have options.

They could choose to retry the case with a new jury, beginning the lengthy process of jury selection and scheduling a new trial. Alternatively, prosecutors might offer a plea deal to Clancy, who denies the killings but claims postpartum psychosis led to her actions. Boston defense attorney and former prosecutor Brad Bailey notes that defense lawyers will likely explore the possibility of a resolution given the threat of a retrial hanging over Clancy.

Clancy's defense may push for the charges to be dropped, arguing that she suffers from postpartum psychosis and is already punished through her paralysis and loss of her three children. A conviction could result in life imprisonment, while an acquittal might lead to confinement in a mental health facility. The case has drawn divided public reactions, with Clancy's defenders viewing her as a loving mother who sought help and her detractors holding her responsible for an evil and selfish act.