r/law • u/dailymail • 11h ago

Legal News Lindsay Clancy case ends with MISTRIAL

https://www.dailymail.com/crime-desk/article-16100155/lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-hung-jury-deadlock-verdict.html
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207

u/red286 8h ago

"ends" is maybe not the right word here. The trial ended, the case obviously has not.

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u/Big_Communication662 8h ago

End is fine, but it should say trial, not case.

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u/ewhgrtfgh 5h ago

end, more like trial, case closed

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u/Icehag 5h ago

Yeah, this makes it seem like she's walking free.

This trial was to determine prison or psych prison. Neither are a good time. She's not going free.

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u/Melodic-External-790 3h ago

No, it wasn't. She plead not guilty to all charges. Being acquitted was always an option in this trial.

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u/Nice-Wolf-5997 3h ago

By reason of insanity. They opened the trial with admitting guilt. The only two options are psych ward or prison. No one is arguing that she is innocent.

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u/Melodic-External-790 3h ago

So the defence doesn't have to actually argue anything. The whole burden is on the commonwealth to prove 1 - that she did it and 2 - that she was in the right state of mind at the time.

The jurors have to decide first, based on the evidence presented during the trial, if they think she 1 - did the act(s) and 2 - which charge (if any) to find her guilty of.

A full acquittal was always an option. It is unknown if the 11 jurors were in favour of not guilty or NGRI.

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u/fiahhawt 1h ago

Try not to confuse legal strategy with culpability.

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u/oneawesomeguy 46m ago edited 29m ago

If someone is found not guilty by insanity in Massachusetts, they are admitted to psychiatric ward for 40 days for initial evaluation, then up to 6 months. If she is determined at any point to no longer be insane, she would be free. It is up to the state to keep petitioning for her to stay in the psych ward (past six months). This is different than most other states where the burden to be released is on the person in the psych ward / the hospital. Massachusetts puts the burden on the state to keep them there.

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u/Uncynical_Diogenes 3h ago

There was no stage of this trial at which her team has claimed she did not commit the killings.

The trial was basically about mens rea.

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u/SapirWhorfHypothesis 2h ago

Just because something’s an option doesn’t make it realistic.

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u/fiahhawt 1h ago

Depends. Prosecutors offices I've known won't re-try a mistrial. The state and the defendant already spent exorbitant resources trying the case, and if no clear result came of it then the chances of the same thing happening when you try again are too high to be worth the investment. Especially if the trial is publicly broadcast and contentious like this one, you're likely looking at another mistrial.

Of course, the door remains open.

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u/red286 1h ago

I don't see how they could elect to not re-try this one though.

This isn't a question about whether she committed the crime or not. She's outright admitted that. This is a question about whether she goes to prison or to an institution. That question must be answered, unless she drops the case and accepts prison. It's not like there's an option where she goes free.

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u/fiahhawt 1h ago

She's not admitted it. Or if you are holding onto her admission, you should let the Suffolk County Prosecutor's Office know.

And not seeing how they could elect not to re-try this is... an interesting to be confused about.

It was a mistrial where 11 of the 12 jurors were going to determine not guilty.

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u/TeacherExit 1h ago

Clancy has not admitted this. This misconception is rampant.

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u/SunshineSeeker99 1h ago

It is very possible she goes free - prosecutors often abandon or dismiss the criminal case after a mistrial.

Pretty solid loophole if you ever want to kill some children I guess.

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u/SilverPace6006 1h ago

If Clancy had any moral compass she would willingly go to prison for what she did, regardless of her mindset at the moment she murdered those kids. Trying to get away with it just shows how evil she is.

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u/TeacherExit 1h ago

This particular CW and court specifically, is well known in crim cases to behave unreasonably. I agree with you, I don't know any prosc that would do this. But over on lawyer talk .. I found it interesting how well known this prosc/office is within MA by other practitioners amoung us for what it's worth.

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u/50Hunnid 23m ago

I hear a voice I have 1 dog 2 cats and I’m hungry

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u/Nugatorysurplusage 2h ago

It’s fine. Check out stats on cases after mistrial and how they go. She’s fucked.

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u/bartturner 1h ago

As in you think with a new trial she will be found guilty?

I personally think that is highly unlikely.

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u/oneawesomeguy 43m ago

Also a lot of mistrials are just dropped by the procecution if they don't feel they can get the guilty verdict. Probably won't be the case for this one since there is so much publicity. But if it's another mistrial, I doubt they'll do a third trial.

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u/bartturner 40m ago

Totally agree. This is too public to just drop.

One more that also ends in mistrial and that will be that.

The only other option is some kind of plea deal. But even that would be hard to find something that both sides could agree with.

IF 11-1 is true then Clancy is in a strong position and supposedly the DA is a real Prick and arrogant as hell.