Judge to consider motion to dismiss murder charges against Lindsay Clancy

Lindsay Clancy appeared before Judge William Sullivan on Monday seeking dismissal of the first-degree murder charges related to the deaths of her three children in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The defense argued that a retrial would violate her constitutional rights and requested further investigation into juror conduct during the earlier trial, which ended in a hung jury.

"It is clear from the record this juror did not refuse to deliberate," Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague said, adding that the juror simply disagreed with the majority view.

Defense attorney Martin G. Weinberg contended that the judge should have probed deeper after the jury foreperson submitted notes indicating a juror was not adhering to deliberation rules. He suggested the juror, identified as Michael Desronvil, might have been untruthful about his ability to apply the law. Prosecutors countered that there was no evidence the juror’s stance stemmed from bias or an inability to deliberate.

"He refused to agree," Sprague noted, emphasizing that the juror’s refusal to align with the group did not constitute a refusal to deliberate.

Attorney Kevin Reddington accused the holdout juror of using a mobile phone to research case-related terms and questioned his honesty during jury selection. The court has not yet ruled on the motion to dismiss; a further hearing is set for November 16, with a possible retrial slated for March. A separate motion concerning a state-requested gag order on public statements by lawyers and supporters is also expected to be addressed.