Lindsay Clancy's ex-husband threatens legal action over 'relentless' conspiracy theories

Natalie Stechyson · CBC News

· Posted: Sep 08, 2026 4:41 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

WARNING: This article contains details about violence against children and attempted suicide. 

While Lindsay Clancy was the one in court facing murder charges for strangling her three children, her ex-husband Patrick Clancy faced a different kind of trial online.

Lindsay Clancy's high-profile murder trial, which ended last Friday in a mistrial, has captivated spectators from the beginning. The case gripped the public, sparking debates about maternal mental health, creating dramatic moments both inside the court and out, and launching online conspiracy theories — largely, about Patrick.

Patrick Clancy was ruled out as a suspect in the 2023 deaths of Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and eight-month-old Callan. But online misinformation has swirled, with social media users posting video after video claiming Patrick is to blame, posting photos of him with his new wife, and picking apart his movements the day of the killings and his decisions in the years since.

On Tuesday, Patrick Clancy's lawyer released a statement saying, "enough is enough."

"Over the past months, Patrick Clancy and his family have been subjected to a relentless, escalating and destructive defamation campaign," Boston attorney Howard Cooper said in a media statement obtained by CBC News.

"This campaign of misinformation has been launched and promoted by minor celebrities, so-called influencers and outright conspiracy theorists who appear intent on boosting their own social media profiles and potential profit by publishing what they know to be outright falsehoods that Patrick was somehow involved in the death of his young children and other vile claims," the statement continued.

Cooper noted that the campaign is still at a "fever pitch" and has resulted in real-life threats to Patrick Clancy's reputation, livelihood and lifeThe lawyer noted that this has left his client with no choice but to address the situation so he can return his attention to "preserving the memory of Cora, Dawson and Callan Clancy and supporting other women facing perinatal mental health challenges."

"This spread of blatant and baseless falsehoods must stop," Cooper said, adding that there will be consequences for those responsible, and law enforcement has been notified.

WATCH | Social media and 'toxic obsession' with Lindsay Clancy trial:

Mistrial declared

Lindsay Clancy, 36, had been charged with murder in the killing of her three children in 2023 while her then-husband Patrick was running an errand. Jurors in Plymouth County Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass., heard that she strangled the children with exercise bands in the basement of their home in the Boston suburb of Duxbury.

She then attempted to take her own life.

Clancy's defence didn't dispute the killings. But they argued she isn't criminally responsible because she had bipolar disorder and was suffering from postpartum psychosis, a rare and little-understood mental health condition that can affect a new mom's sense of reality. 

• Will Lindsay Clancy face a new trial? What's next after mistrial declared

• Judge declares mistrial in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial after emergency appeal denied

Prosecutors argued that Clancy was guilty of three counts of first-degree murder because she plotted to get her husband out of the house so she could carry out the killings. 

On Friday, after seven days of deadlocked jury deliberation, the highly divisive case ended in a mistrial after the 12-person jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The case is due back in court on Sept. 29 for a status conference, which is when next steps will be discussed.

Defendant Lindsay Clancy looks at the jury after Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial in her murder trial on Friday, Sept. 4, in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger/The Associated Press)

In statement by another attorney representing Patrick Clancy released after the mistrial was declared, he said he was grateful to the court, but that the prospect of another trial was painful.

"The loss of Patrick’s children is something from which he will never recover and from which there will never be closure," attorney David Meier said in a statement.

"The prospect of reliving this tragedy through another trial is extraordinarily painful — for Patrick, for his family, and for all of us."

Millions across the U.S. watched the livestreamed trial, as Clancy's supporters gathered outside the courthouse. Even U.S. President Donald Trump said he was following the coverage. 

On Tuesday, Kevin Reddington, Clancy's defence lawyer, asked Trump to pardon her even though presidential pardon power ​applies only to federal crimes.

In an earlier statement, Trump told reporters Clancy will have to pay a price, adding "it's going to be a mental institution or jail or something."

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 territorialmental health support.
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling onthe website.
• This guide from theCentre for Addiction and Mental Healthoutlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.