Jurors in trial of U.S. mother who killed her children again tell judge they are deadlocked

The Associated Press

· Posted: Sep 02, 2026 3:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

WARNING: This article contains details about violence against children.

Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial have said — for a second time — that they are unable to reach a verdict on whether she is criminally responsible in the killings of her three children, but the judge on Wednesday told them again to keep trying.

Clancy stared at the jury with no expression as Judge William Sullivan explained to the courtroom that jurors were at an impasse on their fifth day of deliberations.

The judge then sent them back out after giving them a standard, legally required instruction intended to prod them to keep discussing a possible verdict. He gave them similar instructions Tuesday morning the first time they said they couldn't reach a unanimous decision.

Clancy, a former labour and delivery nurse in Massachusetts, doesn't deny strangling her three children in their home in 2023. But her attorney argues that postpartum psychosis led to her actions. Prosecutors say she knew what she was doing.

• Testimony concludes in trial of U.S. mother accused of killing her 3 children

Clancy's livestreamed trial has generated intense interest, with reporters and spectators packing the courtroom. The case has also sparked deep public divisions over her culpability and the issues around maternal mental health after childbirth.

What happens if there's a mistrial

Jurors have heard testimony from relatives and doctors about how Clancy's mental health declined in the months before the killings and how her treatment included several medications and a short stay in a psychiatric hospital. Medical experts hired by the prosecution and the defence reached sharply different conclusions about her psychiatric state when she killed the children.

If jurors ultimately can't agree on a verdict, the judge could declare a mistrial. Prosecutors would then have to decide whether to put Clancy on trial again, drop the charges or try to negotiate a plea deal with her lawyer.

If the jury decides Clancy was criminally responsible for her actions, it could convict her of either murder or manslaughter. If she is acquitted, a judge could still order her confined to a mental health facility if an evaluation determines that she poses a danger to the public.

WATCH | What was said in closing arguments:

After court ended Tuesday, Clancy's attorney said it was a good sign that the jury kept working.

"The fact that they have not said that they're done is very, very heartening," Kevin Reddington said. "Obviously, they're working very hard."

If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to look for help:

• Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988.
• Provincial and territorial mental health support.
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling on the website.
• This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.