Defense team seeks inquiry into conduct of holdout juror in Lindsay Clancy mistrial
Lawyers for Lindsay Clancy have asked a judge to examine the actions and statements of the sole juror who voted for conviction, after a mistrial was declared when the jury could not reach unanimity.
Lawyers for Lindsay Clancy filed a motion on Friday, made public Monday, requesting that the court investigate the conduct of juror Michael Desronvil, who was the only juror to side with prosecutors in a case that ended in a mistrial on Sept. 4. The defense seeks records of any cellphone calls or texts Desronvil may have made during deliberations, citing a state prohibition on phone use while jurors are deliberating. The motion also asks the judge to question Desronvil about the accuracy of his responses on the pre-trial juror questionnaire and his statements to the judge a day before deliberations concluded.
The mistrial followed a deadlock in which eleven of twelve jurors were prepared to acquit Clancy, citing postpartum psychosis as a factor in the deaths of her three children, while Desronvil maintained that she acted with knowledge of her conduct. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, further asked the court to consider dismissing the criminal case altogether, arguing that the judge should have substituted an alternate juror after the foreperson reported that Desronvil was refusing to consider reasonable doubt.
Prosecutors have not indicated whether they will pursue a new trial. Clancy remains charged with murder and is confined to a psychiatric facility pending resolution of the case. A spokesperson for Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz declined to comment on the motions.
Desronvil’s lawyer, Edward Paltzik, released a statement saying his client "didn’t have any doubts" that Clancy knew what she was doing when she killed her three children.