Mistrial declared in Lindsay Clancy child killings case

A judge declared a mistrial on Friday after American mother Lindsay Clancy's trial for the killing of her three young children concluded without a unanimous verdict. Clancy, 36, admitted to strangling her children Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months, but claimed postpartum psychosis was the cause. After a week of deliberation, a jury of nine women and three men was unable to reach a unanimous decision, required in U.S. criminal proceedings.

Eleven jurors favored a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict, but one held out against it. Judge William Sullivan declared the jury deadlocked and declared a mistrial. Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said he would decide whether to retry the case before a new jury. Clancy's lawyer, Kevin Reddington, blamed the holdout juror for the mistrial.

The former nurse faced life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder. Her televised trial, featuring over 80 witnesses and distressing testimony, sparked debate over maternal mental health and drew President Donald Trump's reaction. Clancy pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming a voice ordered her to kill her children.

Psychiatrists and witnesses testified about her fragile mental health. Clancy, who attempted suicide shortly after the murders, remains in a psychiatric institution pending a potential new trial.