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A Massachusetts judge on October 1, 2026, denied Lindsay Clancy’s request for a required finding of not guilty after her first trial ended in a hung-jury mistrial. The ruling means the prosecution’s evidence could be considered legally sufficient for a factfinder; it does not mean a judge or jury found Clancy guilty. Her case remained pending, and prosecutors had not yet decided whether to retry her.
What the judge decided
Judge William Sullivan denied the defense’s renewed request for a required finding of not guilty. According to the Associated Press, Sullivan said evidence viewed in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth could allow a rational factfinder to find the essential elements of the murder charge beyond a reasonable doubt. He was ruling on whether the case could proceed on the evidence—not deciding guilt.
AP quoted Sullivan: “There was evidence introduced, both physical and circumstantial, that would permit a rational trier of fact to find beyond a reasonable doubt the elements of the charge of murder.” The ruling’s full written order was not available in the reporting reviewed, so its reasoning should not be extended beyond what AP reported. Associated Press report on the October 1 ruling.
How the case reached this point
- September 4, 2026: Clancy’s first trial ended in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict. AP reported the jury was divided 11 to 1 in Clancy’s favor. A deadlocked jury returns neither a conviction nor an acquittal.
- September 29: At a post-mistrial hearing, defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued that prosecutors had not sufficiently proved Clancy carried out the killings. AP reported him saying, “This entire case is based on speculation.” Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham disputed that argument, saying, “I’d suggest to you the entire record is voluminous as to information supporting the fact that she did this.”
- October 1: Sullivan denied the renewed motion, leaving the murder charge pending.
AP’s September 29 report on the hearing and mistrial.
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At trial, the defense focused on whether Clancy was not criminally responsible because of mental disease, described in coverage as postpartum psychosis. That question concerns criminal responsibility: whether a person can be held legally responsible given their mental condition. The renewed motion advanced after the mistrial raised a distinct issue—whether prosecutors had sufficiently shown that Clancy herself carried out the killings.
Those are separate questions. Evidence or arguments about who committed an act do not by themselves resolve criminal responsibility, and arguments about mental illness do not establish whether the prosecution proved the act. AP reported that jurors heard testimony that Clancy said she heard voices instructing her to kill her children and that her DNA was found on exercise bands used in the killings. Prosecutors argued she knew her actions were wrong; the defense argued she was not criminally responsible because of mental illness. These were reported evidence and party positions, not a judicial determination of criminal responsibility. AP report on the trial evidence and arguments.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens next
The October 1 ruling did not determine whether prosecutors will pursue another trial. In AP’s September 29 status report, prosecutors had not decided whether to retry Clancy. Options reported at that time included a new trial on first-degree murder, proceeding on lesser charges, or dropping the prosecution. None had been announced as a decision in that report. AP’s report on the prosecution’s options.
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