UPDATE: Lindsay Clancy, the 35-year-old Duxbury mother charged with the tragic murders of her three young children, is fighting to have her trial moved out of Plymouth County. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, argues that extensive media coverage has made it impossible to assemble an impartial jury in this high-profile case.
This urgent development comes as Clancy is scheduled to stand trial on February 9, 2024. Reddington is requesting the case be transferred to Suffolk Superior Court in Boston due to what he describes as “exploitative prejudicial publicity.” Meanwhile, Plymouth Second Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague maintains that the current court can ensure a fair trial through a thorough jury selection process.
The accusations against Clancy are shocking: she is charged with strangling her children, Cora (5), Dawson (3), and Callan (8 months), using a ligature believed to be an exercise band. Prosecutors allege that Clancy held the ligature in place for nearly five minutes for each child. Following the incident on January 24, 2023, Clancy attempted suicide, resulting in severe injuries that have left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
“In light of the extensive media coverage in this case… the unavoidable conclusion is that Lindsay Clancy cannot be given a fair trial in Plymouth County,” Reddington stated.
However, Sprague argues that the media coverage has not been particularly damaging to Clancy’s chances for a fair trial. She points out that Reddington himself contributed to the publicity by discussing the case with reporters shortly after the events unfolded.
“Defense counsel’s bid for a new venue because the public may have formed an opinion based on media coverage seems disingenuous,” Sprague said.
Reddington is also seeking to delay the trial until next spring, which could further extend the proceedings. He is pursuing an insanity defense, claiming that Clancy was in a state of emotional instability due to postpartum depression at the time of the alleged murders.
The next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning at Plymouth Superior Court, where further motions regarding the venue and trial timeline will be discussed. As this case develops, the community and the nation watch closely, grappling with the tragic loss of innocent lives and the complexities of mental health issues intertwined in this heart-wrenching case.
