Second psychiatric nurse practitioner testifies in Lindsay Clancy murder trial

The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy in Massachusetts continued Tuesday as psychiatric nurse practitioner Rebecca Jollotta took the stand. Jollotta, who began treating Clancy in November 2022 at South Shore Health, described the care she provided and her assessment of the mother’s mental-health state.

During cross-examination, Clancy’s defense attorney questioned Jollotta about the prescription drugs Clancy received and the standard practice of treating postpartum patients with serious symptoms. Jollotta said it was common for her to treat women experiencing severe postpartum issues and that Clancy’s symptoms were “serious.”

Jollotta testified that she had recommended inpatient care at Mass General Hospital after Clancy expressed persistent suicidal thoughts on December 15, 2022. She said the couple later pursued an outpatient program at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, which discharged Clancy after less than a week. Jollotta expressed concern about the discharge and noted her last contact with Clancy was on December 21, 2022.

"She never told me she had a plan to harm herself or her children," prosecutor Jennifer Sprague confirmed with Jollotta.

The practitioner also discussed the possibility of an underlying bipolar disorder with Clancy and her husband, noting that Clancy reported feeling “numb” and “desperate” and had taken Ativan and Benadryl. Jollotta said she “strongly, strongly recommend[ed]” a partial-hospitalization program and provided crisis-intervention resources, but Clancy did not request emergency care.

Later in the day, attorneys debated the admissibility of testimony from a TikTok user who had posted about McLean Hospital. Judge William Sullivan took the arguments under advisement without ruling.

The trial, which could result in a life-without-parole sentence if Clancy is convicted of first-degree murder, will continue with further witnesses and testimony.