Lindsay Clancy’s fate hangs in balance as jury deliberations enter fourth day

Jurors deciding the fate of Lindsay Clancy will return Tuesday for a fourth day of deliberations in her Massachusetts murder trial, with no indication yet of whether they are nearing a verdict.

The jury began deliberating behind closed doors Thursday and has remained notably quiet, sending no questions or other communications to the judge that might offer clues about its discussions.

Clancy, 36, a former labor and delivery nurse, is charged in the 2023 deaths of her three young children at the family's home in Duxbury.

She has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility.

Clancy does not dispute that she killed her children. Instead, jurors must decide whether she was criminally responsible for her actions at the time.

Her defense argues that Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis, a rare and severe psychiatric condition that can occur after childbirth, and had lost her grip on reality.

Prosecutors contend that Clancy understood what she was doing and made a conscious decision to kill the children.

Jurors could find her guilty of murder or manslaughter, or acquit her on the grounds that she lacked criminal responsibility.

A murder conviction could result in a life prison sentence. If she is found not criminally responsible, a judge could still order her committed to a mental health facility if an evaluation determines she poses a danger.

Throughout the trial, Clancy's attorneys portrayed her as a loving mother whose mental health deteriorated significantly in the months before the children's deaths.

She had sought treatment from multiple providers and spent time in a psychiatric hospital shortly before the killings.

The prosecution disputed the defense's contention that Clancy was psychotic, arguing that evidence surrounding the deaths showed she remained aware of her actions and understood right from wrong.

After weeks of emotional testimony and competing expert opinions about Clancy's mental state, the decision now rests with the jury.

Their deliberations are set to resume Tuesday with the trial entering its fourth day without a verdict.