Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asks judge to investigate lone juror after mistrial

The attorney for Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy has asked a judge to investigate the conduct of the lone juror who refused to join the other 11 jurors in finding her not criminally responsible for the deaths of her three children.

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington filed a motion asking Plymouth Superior Court Judge William Sullivan to examine whether juror Michael Desronvil used his cellphone during jury deliberations and whether he was truthful when completing his confidential juror questionnaire and answering questions from the judge.

Clancy’s five-week murder trial ended in a mistrial on September 4, after the 12-member jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict following seven days of deliberations. Eleven jurors reportedly supported finding Clancy not guilty by reason of insanity, while Desronvil remained convinced that she was criminally responsible.

The defense is particularly seeking records of calls and text messages made by Desronvil between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on each day of deliberations. Cellphone use is prohibited for jurors during deliberations in Massachusetts. Reddington also wants the court to preserve and examine the juror’s questionnaire.

The request comes after reports emerged concerning Desronvil’s past legal history, including a previous domestic-violence-related case and a restraining order that was active when he was selected for the Clancy jury. NBC Boston reported that the defense wants to determine whether those matters were properly disclosed during jury selection.

Desronvil has not been accused of misconduct by the court. In a statement released through his lawyer, he defended his position in the case, saying he had no doubts that Clancy knew what she was doing when she killed her children.

Clancy, a former nurse from Duxbury, Massachusetts, is accused of killing her three children; Cora, Dawson and Callan, in January 2023. Her defense argued that she was experiencing severe postpartum psychosis and should not be held criminally responsible for the killings. Prosecutors argued that she understood her actions and was criminally responsible.

In a separate motion, another member of Clancy’s legal team, Martin Weinberg, has asked the judge to dismiss the criminal case rather than allow prosecutors to retry her. The defense argues that the judge could have replaced Desronvil with an alternate juror instead of declaring a mistrial.

Prosecutors have not announced whether they intend to retry Clancy. She remains charged with murder and is currently in a psychiatric hospital while the case continues. A hearing on the defense motions is scheduled for September 29.