Lindsay Clancy Motion Denied

A judge rejected Clancy's request for a not-guilty finding in her children's deaths.

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Updated Oct 1, 7:51pm ET

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What happened

A Massachusetts judge denied Lindsay Clancy’s renewed request for a required not-guilty finding in the deaths of her three children. Judge William Sullivan said the evidence, viewed most favorably to prosecutors, could let a rational jury find murder and criminal responsibility beyond a reasonable doubt. Clancy’s first trial ended in a hung jury, split 11-1, and her defense renewed the motion after the mistrial. Her lawyers argued she had postpartum psychosis and was not criminally responsible. Defense lawyer Kevin Reddington said prosecutors lacked proof Clancy killed the children or was criminally responsible. Prosecutors said she strangled them and then tried to kill herself. The ruling keeps prosecutors moving toward a retrial.

How each side covered it

From the left

Left-leaning accounts framed the ruling as a legal setback tied to the judge’s view that the case could still reach a jury. The Guardian kept the defense centered on criminal responsibility, not a denial-based strategy. It also stressed prosecutors’ position that mental illness did not erase Clancy’s understanding of her actions.

From the right

Right-leaning accounts leaned harder into the defense claim that the state’s case lacked direct proof while still treating the ruling as firm. The New York Post highlighted Kevin Reddington’s challenge, including “Where is the evidence”. Fox News emphasized Sullivan’s point that physical and circumstantial evidence could support a murder finding.

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