Judge declares mistrial in Lindsay Clancy case after MA Supremes deny stay

Judge William Sullivan on Friday declared a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy murder case after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied the defense's motion for an emergency stay.

Sullivan initially declared his intent to declare a mistrial on Friday morning, but walked back those plans to allow defense attorney Kevin Reddington to petition the higher court for intervention, which was denied on Friday.

Sullivan then declared a formal mistrial after court reconvened on Friday afternoon. In those proceedings, he praised the jury for performing their duties during the course of the lengthy trial.

The jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict after several days of deliberations. Clancy stands accused of murdering her three children. While she admits to the act, she has argued she should not be held criminally liable by reason of insanity.

Reddington's appeal to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court was predicated on a note from the jury foreperson to the court, which expressed frustration with a sole juror, whom the foreperson said was unwilling to apply the reasonable doubt standard appropriately.

In his appeal, Reddington suggested that the juror had shown bias against people suffering from mental illness. The hearing by a sole judge on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court lasted for less than one hour and resulted in a swift ruling against issuing a stay.

The case has become a focal point in the culture wars, with many women rallying behind Clancy as a feminist icon and participating in social media trends supporting her.

The jury in the case was not sequestered and authorities arrested at least one person throughout the proceedings, whom they charged with photographing and taking video of the jurors.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.