Lindsay Clancy's murder trial has taken a dramatic turn after the jury said it could not reach a unanimous decision, leading Judge William Sullivan to declare a mistrial.
Jury says it cannot reach a verdict
This came after a week of deliberations, during which the panel of nine women and three men became deadlocked multiple times and told Judge Sullivan they could not reach unanimous agreement. After this latest deadlock, Sullivan said he believed he had no choice but to declare a mistrial.
Also read: Lindsay Clancy verdict: What happens to her when Judge rules mistrial? Could she be out on bail?
Why did lawyer whips off glasses
Deep Dive
What does a mistrial ruling mean for Lindsay Clancy's charges?
Why was the jury in the Lindsay Clancy trial deadlocked?
How can an emergency stay affect the mistrial ruling in Lindsay Clancy's case?
After the shock decision, Judge Sullivan and Clancy's lawyer Kevin Reddington got into a heated exchange which left the attorney ‘whipping off’ his glasses and snapping at the judge, as per the Express.
Reddington said, "What I'm asking for is time to file a single justice appeal for this travesty, that's what I'm asking for." He added, “And the jurors do not have to come back tomorrow - they don't even have to come back if I lose the motion. But if I win the motion then obviously they would have to come back Tuesday.”
{{/usCountry}}Reddington said, "What I'm asking for is time to file a single justice appeal for this travesty, that's what I'm asking for." He added, “And the jurors do not have to come back tomorrow - they don't even have to come back if I lose the motion. But if I win the motion then obviously they would have to come back Tuesday.”
{{/usCountry}}The judge snapped back, "So what, are we gonna tell this jury to come back tomorrow?! As they're walking in, you're asking for this. I'm trying to figure out what you're asking for...I'll give you one hour to petition for a stay before we bring the jury back down."
Attorney asks for emergency stay before mistrial is declared
According to CBS News, moments after Judge Sullivan declared a mistrial, Clancy's attorney Kevin Reddington asked the court to pause the ruling. He was given one hour to seek a stay. The request was made at 11:30 a.m.
Reddington wants to file an appeal with a single justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the state's highest court. He believes the lone holdout juror was breaking the law.
As per The Mirror, the court reporter Kristina Rex said the filing is known as a 211 section 3 petition. She described it as an “Emergency petition to a single justice of the state's highest court. Asking for intervention in this case before a formal mistrial is declared.”
What is an emergency appeal?
An emergency appeal is a request asking a higher court to quickly review a judge’s decision before it takes effect. In the Lindsay Clancy trial, the defense sought an emergency stay from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
A mistrial does not mean Clancy was found guilty or not guilty. It means the jury was unable to reach a final decision in the case.
CNN legal correspondent Jean Casarez said on live television that the higher court would need to find a “very clear and egregious error on the part of this court” to grant the emergency stay. This suggests that a mistrial is more likely at this point.
Clancy faces three murder charges in connection with the deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months old. She does not deny the killings, but her defense argues that she was suffering from mental illnesses, including postpartum psychosis, and that her actions were not criminal.