Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer called for one juror to be removed after it was revealed the panelist allegedly “refuses to listen to the law” on reasonable doubt.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said the note sent out by the jury foreperson said, “there is one juror who refuses to listen the to law that you’ve given him or her on reasonable doubt.”
The lawyer demanded that person be removed from the 12-person jury, of nine women and three men, that has been deliberating for roughly 36 hours spread over six days.
The moment came after the jury members were brought into the courtroom one by one to take an oath and answer Judge William Sullivan’s question at sidebar.
After, the entire jury was brought back into the courtroom so the judge could read them his instructions on the law regarding reasonable doubt.
But Reddington said the judge’s approach wasn’t sufficient to address the problem with the juror.
“If we come back here in a half an hour with a mistrial because of the juror who has just spurned the instructions of this court, that’s a shame, that’s a real shame,” he said.
Here’s the latest on Lindsay Clancy’s trial for allegedly murdering her three children:
- Judge in Clancy trial gives stern warning on reasonable doubt, sends jury to deliberate after 4th note
- Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer drops courtroom bombshell — claims one juror ‘refuses to listen to the law’
- Lindsay Clancy jury struggling to reach a verdict — experts reveal the most likely outcome
- Miranda Devine: TikTok feminists hijacked Lindsay Clancy’s trial — their circus act risks adding injustice to the suffering her kids endured
“That’s why I object to the court’s ruling. I request that we have further inquiry. My motion is to remove this juror who refuses to listen to your instruction on reasonable doubt,” the lawyer said.
However prosecutor Jennifer Sprague insisted “there is no way to determine what the deliberations are, who is correct, who is incorrect, nor should we attempt to because that is part of deliberations.”
“I think what Your Honor has done by asking each juror if they are able to follow the law and then giving the instruction on reasonable doubt is appropriate,” Sprague said.
But Judge William Sullivan denied Reddington’s bid to have the juror removed, saying he couldn’t intervene in the process.
“I don’t feel it is proper to side with one side or the other of the deliberations,” Sullivan said. “I don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to say I agree with one juror or the eleven.”
The judge sent the jurors back to the jury room to continue deliberations before he sent them home for the day around 4 p.m.
So far, they have been locked in the decision-making process for over 36 hours spread over six days.
The are due to come back to court Friday morning for a seventh day of deliberations.
The jury is tasked with deciding whether Clancy, 36, should be held criminally responsible for strangling her three kids Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months at their Duxbury home on Jan. 24, 2023.
Reddington asked the panel to find Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity based on the claim she was in the throes of severe postpartum psychosis and hallucinated a voice telling her to carry out the slayings and take her own life.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
