Photo: Greg Derr/ The Patriot Ledger/ Pool
Updated 8/27/26 12:43 p.m.
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The jurors have begun deliberating in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial in Plymouth Superior Court. The jury received the case after the defense and prosecution gave their closing arguments Thursday.
Clancy is accused of intentionally killing her three children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan — on Jan. 24, 2023.
Clancy has admitted she killed her children, but the defense argued she should not be found guilty of murder because of her mental state at the time. The defense said Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis and was overmedicated.
If Clancy is found guilty on the three counts of first-degree murder, she will have to serve a mandatory life sentence.
Lindsay Clancy's lawyer Kevin Reddington arrives to court on Aug. 27, 2026. Photo: Jim MacKay/WBZ NewsRadio
Judge William Sullivan said the jury could also consider the charge of manslaughter, which the judge defined as "an unlawful killing unintentionally caused by wanton or reckless conduct."
The defense began with their closing argument first. Attorney Kevin Reddington reminded the jury the burden of proof is on the prosecution. He blamed the killings of Clancy's children, "Because of the damn medicine, and the lousy medical care that she got."
"She was reaching out for help and she was not getting it," said Reddington.
He attacked the prosecution for implying she was a bad mother and faked her suicide attempt before the judge reminded him to address the jury. Reddington also called it "disgusting" that the prosecution would accuse one of the defense's witnesses, Dr. Paul Zeizel, of planting the idea in Clancy's head that she heard a voice telling her to kill her children.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague delivered the closing argument for the prosecution. Sprague said she didn't deny that Clancy was unwell and suffering from mental illness and depression but she told the jury to focus on the issue of knowing right and wrong. She said Clancy knew that killing her children was wrong.
Sprague said despite Clancy being mentally ill, she turned away help and didn't take her medication properly. And although she told her then-husband and her parents she had thoughts about harming her children, she never told any of the doctors or psychiatrists treating her. She said Clancy sending her then-husband out to pick up medicine and takeout shows planning and that she wanted him out of the house so she could kill the children and then herself.
"She was depressed, she was exhausted, she was done. She didn't want to try anymore, she felt damaged. But those kids, those kids were her protective factor. Those kids were keeping her from ending her misery. And so she had to remove the protective factor. And I'm not saying she was happy about it, I'm saying it was what she had to do to end her misery," said Sprague.
This is a developing story. Stay with WBZ NewsRadio for the latest updates.