Attorney outlines strategy to avoid retrial for Massachusetts mother after mistrial
Lindsay Clancy's lawyer said he will challenge a possible retrial, seek reduced charges and push for psychiatric treatment instead of prison.
Attorney Kevin Reddington said he will pursue a multi-pronged approach to keep Lindsay Clancy from facing another jury trial after a Norfolk Superior Court jury deadlocked, leading Judge William Sullivan to declare a mistrial. He plans to argue that a retrial would violate double-jeopardy protections because the mistrial was declared over the defense’s objection, and, if that fails, to request that Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz reduce the charges to second-degree murder so the case could be decided by a judge rather than a jury.
Reddington said he wants a sentence focused on probation and mandatory psychiatric treatment in a secure facility rather than incarceration, stating, "> I would like to see Tim reduce it to a second degree... and fashion something where Lindsay gets the mental, physical help that she needs rather than criminal prosecution." He also defended his criticism of a holdout juror, explaining his anger was directed at the juror’s refusal to follow the law.
The lawyer renewed a request for President Donald Trump to contact the district attorney, saying, "> I'd like the president to pick up the phone and speak with Tim Cruz." Reddington acknowledged that some of his earlier comments about the prosecutor were excessive and expressed regret for accusing the DA of not knowing the victims’ names.