Lindsay Clancy: What happens after a mistrial? Can prosecutors ask for a new trial? Where the case stands now

On January 24, 2023, Lindsay Clancy was charged with three counts of murder after the fatal strangling of her children Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months at their Duxbury home. Despite the prosecution's claim that she acted intentionally and rationally, Lindsay's defense argued that she was not criminally responsible due to a psychotic episode stemming from postpartum mental illness.

Following a week of deadlocked jury deliberations, Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial. This means that the trial ended without a verdict, leaving Lindsay neither convicted nor acquitted. Prosecutors can now push forward with their charges and restart the trial with a new jury or negotiate a plea agreement. Alternatively, they could dismiss the charges altogether.

Lindsay, a 35-year-old mother of three, remains in a mental health facility while the next steps are decided by her lawyers. If a new trial is planned, Lindsay will stay in the facility until it begins, but her lawyers could request a review of her bail situation. Prosecutors often seek retrials in serious felony cases, which would require a new jury selection process and rescheduling of the trial.

In the event of a conviction, Lindsay would face life in prison without parole. If found not guilty due to lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.