The trial of Lindsay Clancy took an unexpected turn on August 19 when jurors were abruptly sent home earlier than scheduled.
“I appreciate your patience, and once again, I kindly request a bit more of it,” Judge William Sullivan addressed the jury after reconvening post-lunch break, as shown in the court footage streamed by the Associated Press. “An unforeseen issue has come up, requiring us to adjourn until you return tomorrow morning.”
“This was not anticipated, but you must refrain from speculating as to the reason,” Sullivan advised. “Please do not let this affect your views on either party. It’s a matter we need to address accordingly.”
Judge Sullivan expressed his gratitude to the jury for their understanding and reminded them to avoid discussing the case or seeking additional information until they reconvene on August 20.
“We’ll handle this situation promptly and continue our schedule,” he mentioned. “We remain comfortably within the timeline I initially outlined for this trial, but certain situations are out of our control.”
It’s unclear what circumstances led to the early dismissal. has reached out to Plymouth Superior Court for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.
Earlier in the day, psychologist Dr. Paul Zeizel returned to the stand to shed insight into Clancy’s mental state. He shared his opinion that the mother of three “had bipolar disorder with postpartum psychosis” at the time she killed her and then-husband Patrick Clancy’s children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and 8-month-old Callan.
“In addition, she was unable to conform her behaviors to the rule of law,” he testified, “and she had no appreciation for the wrongfulness of her act.”
Afterward, while the jury was on recess, former McLean Hospital employee Emily Thorndike was questioned in a voir dire session—which looks for potential bias, qualifications and admissibility of testimony—as a potential witness. Thorndike worked at the hospital until December 2021, just over a year before Clancy had a five-day inpatient stay.
In a now-viral TikTok video posted on July 29, she spoke about her experience of the staffing levels at the facility and took issue with the prosecution’s depiction of the care they provided. Having seen the video, Clancy’s attorney Kevin Reddington proposed she testify as a witness for the defense.
While the judge noted he found Thorndike credible, he decided against allowing her to serve as a witness, in part due to the “limited materiality” of her testimony, considering the one-year gap between her and Clancy’s time at McLean.
Weeks after she left the facility, Clancy fatally strangled her children at their family’s Duxbury, Mass., home, then attempted to take her own life. She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, with her defense team arguing she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings and should not be held criminally responsible.
More witness testimony from the defense is expected to continue on Aug. 20 when the trial resumes.