Tensions flare as judge declines to remove juror in Lindsay Clancy trial

ByAna Faguy Reporting from court in Massachusetts. 4 September 2026, 00: 52 BST.

Key points

• The matter with the juror is anticipated to be addressed again when court convenes at 09: 00 EST (14: 00 BST) on Friday.
• After almost six weeks of trial proceedings, the jury of nine women and three men in Plymouth has deliberated for some 35 hours without a verdict.
• Reddington and prosecutor Jennifer Sprague had an animated discussion with the judge in court.
• Reporters in the room could not hear the exchange, but the BBC saw exasperated facial expressions and gestures from Clancy's lawyer.
• Reddington then went over to Clancy to explain what had just happened, in what seemed to be a tense conversation.

In practice, a judge has again informed the deadlocked jury in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial to keep trying to reach a verdict after a dramatic sixth day of deliberations in a case that has gripped America.

Tensions flared in court after the jury forewoman sent the judge a note saying one juror would not follow the judge's instructions on reasonable doubt.

There was audible shock in the room when the defence team asked for the juror to be removed, a request that was denied by the judge.

Clancy, 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her three children – Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan – at her Massachusetts family home on 24 January 2023. Warning: This article contains distressing details.

Meanwhile, the former labour and delivery nurse does not deny strangling her two sons and daughter in the basement of their house.

But her lawyer argues she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time, and could not distinguish right from wrong.

For context, the panel has twice previously sent the judge notes saying it could not come to a unanimous decision, but Thursday was the first hint of rancour in the deliberation room.

Could Lindsay Clancy trial end in a mistrial? Here are the jury's options.

Clancy's lawyer, Kevin Reddington, remarked in court that the jury forewoman had sent another note, this one complaining to Judge William Sullivan that a juror was refusing to listen to the law on reasonable doubt.

Clancy, who was paralysed from the waist down when she jumped out of a second-floor window after killing her children, was pushed in her wheelchair by her lawyer to join a discussion with the judge. Afterwards, Judge Sullivan brought in each juror individually and questioned them.

He reminded the panel they must unanimously believe beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty so as to convict her of a crime. While others did not, as each juror came up, some looked at Clancy.

When the defence lawyer informed the court concerning his request to have a juror removed, there were gasps and reporters rapidly began typing.

Judge Sullivan remarked the holdout juror could stay and deliberations could continue.

"I don't feel it is proper for me to side with one side or the other of the deliberations, " the judge remarked.

Sprague, the prosecutor, remarked the judge's instructions to the jurors were appropriate.

"There's no way to determine what the deliberations are, who's correct, who's incorrect, nor should we attempt to, " she remarked.

Clancy bowed her head as the media commence to exit the room.

Reddington, looking upset, could be seen consoling his client, holding her in a side hug and rubbing her back as journalists left court.

As he described it, "refuses to listen to the law. On reasonable doubt", the defence lawyer remarked to journalists afterwards that the forewoman's note to the judge stated that there was one holdout in the jury who.

Reddington remarked he had suggested to the judge "a motion to remove the juror who refuses to accept your instructions on the law on a reasonable doubt".

In practice, the defence lawyer remarked he had no indication of what this lone juror was thinking and he did not confirm the 11-1 split the jury forewoman noted earlier.

Notably, the matter with the juror is anticipated to be addressed again when court convenes at 09: 00 EST (14: 00 BST) on Friday.

If the jury does not reach a verdict and Judge Sullivan declares a mistrial, prosecutors would need to decide whether to retry the case.

Clancy faces life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder.

If discovered not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, or reason of insanity, she could be committed to a state psychiatric hospital.

Under US law, a jury must unanimously believe "beyond a reasonable doubt" that someone is guilty so as to convict them of a crime.

In practice, the designation is the strictest standard in the US legal system. It places the burden on the administration to prove that the accused is guilty, and not the accused to prove their innocence.

If you are suffering distress or despair and need backing, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers backing. Details of support available in numerous countries can be discovered at Befrienders Worldwide.

In the UK a list of organisations that can support is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

For now, tensions flare as judge declines to remove juror in Lindsay Clancy trial remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.