Jury Begins Trial of Massachusetts Mother Accused of Killing Three Children
Opening statements were heard Monday in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, who faces three counts of murder and strangulation, with her defense arguing postpartum psychosis negated criminal responsibility.
A jury was seated Monday in the Plymouth Superior Court as opening statements commenced in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse accused of strangling her three children in January 2023. Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham told jurors the children – Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months – were "deliberately and meticulously killed" by their mother, urging the panel to consider the evidence with an open mind.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington countered that Clancy loved her children and did not kill them out of selfish motives, emphasizing that she suffered severe postpartum psychosis. Clancy has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and three counts of strangulation, and her lawyers plan to argue that her mental state at the time of the killings precludes criminal liability.
The prosecution alleges that while Clancy’s husband, Patrick, was away retrieving food and medication, she used exercise bands to strangle the children before attempting suicide by jumping from a second-story window, an act that left her paralyzed. The medical examiner determined the children died from asphyxia.
The central issue at trial will be Clancy’s mental condition in the weeks leading up to the deaths. Her attorneys say she repeatedly sought psychiatric help, was hospitalized, and was prescribed multiple medications, yet continued to experience depression, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, and auditory hallucinations.
Separately, Judge William Sullivan ordered that the media may not record or distribute the family’s 911 call, autopsy photographs, or other graphic evidence, citing a request from Patrick Clancy to protect his privacy and prevent emotional harm. Defense counsel supported the request, arguing that the prosecution’s presentation of such material could inflame the jury.