The lone holdout juror whose vote led to a mistrial in the high-profile Lindsay Clancy trial has hired attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik, the lawyer who represented late teen Nolan Wells' friends. The juror was doxxed amid backlash online following the mistrial.
Paltzik announced on X that he now represents the juror. He described his client as a “courageous and heroic” American and a “Champion of Justice.” He said the juror is staying at an undisclosed secure location in rural Northern New England after receiving threats and intense public backlash.
The attorney announced on X that any GoFundMe or GiveSendGo pages claiming to raise money for the juror are unauthorized and should be treated as scams.
“I didn't have any doubts”
NewsNation's Brian Entin shared a statement from the juror, identified as Michael P. Desronvil, in which he defended his position during jury deliberations.
{{/usCountry}}NewsNation's Brian Entin shared a statement from the juror, identified as Michael P. Desronvil, in which he defended his position during jury deliberations.
{{/usCountry}}"I didn't have any doubts," Desronvil said in the statement shared by Entin. “As I tried to explain different possible theories during deliberation, I kept getting cut off as if I had doubts based on the evidence present.”
He added that the prosecution's evidence convinced him Lindsay Clancy acted knowingly. “Based on all the physical evidence, key witnesses, and what the prosecution presents, I thought it was enough proof that she knew exactly what she was doing and planned,” the statement said.
However, following the mistrial, multiple jurors said the holdout juror refused to meaningfully engage in deliberations and did not properly apply the legal standard of reasonable doubt.
Backlash follows mistrial in Lindsay Clancy case
The Lindsay Clancy trial ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Eleven jurors reportedly voted to find Clancy not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. But the lone holdout voted against that conclusion. Under Massachusetts law, a unanimous verdict was required, resulting in a hung jury.
The holdout juror has since become the focus of public attention. NBC Boston previously reported that he had faced domestic violence allegations in 2021. The criminal charge was later dismissed, although the outlet reported that a restraining order from a family member remained active when he was selected for jury service.
“He is an American Hero and Champion of Justice.”
“Rest assured that the evil people who have so viciously attacked this American Hero and Champion of Justice will be held accountable to the maximum extent of the law and beyond," Paltzik wrote in his statement.
However, Paltzik did not address the allegations against his client in his public statement.
Paltzik is also representing Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour, friends of Nolan Wells, in a separate high-profile case. TMZ reported that last month, he said the three young men were "completely innocent" and had no involvement in Wells' death.