Lindsay Clancy holdout juror says evidence proved she planned killings

September 18, 2026 at 04:49 PM2 min

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The lone holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy trial said he had no doubt she deliberately killed her three children. Michael Desronvil told CBS News the physical evidence and prosecution witnesses proved she planned the killings. His stance left the jury deadlocked 11-1, forcing a mistrial on 4 September.

Key Facts

Michael Desronvil, the lone holdout juror, said he had no doubt Lindsay Clancy was criminally responsible for killing her three children.
The jury was divided 11-1 in favour of finding Clancy not criminally responsible, leading to a mistrial on 4 September.
Clancy strangled Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, at the family's Massachusetts home before jumping from a second-floor window.
Juror Paula Devlin said the panel spent several days trying to convince Desronvil to change his mind.

Holdout Juror's Position

Michael Desronvil told CBS News that the physical evidence, key witnesses, and prosecution presentation convinced him Clancy knew what she was doing and planned the killings. He said he was repeatedly cut off while trying to explain possible theories during deliberation, as if he had doubts based on the evidence. Desronvil stated he did not have any doubts about her criminal responsibility.

Jury Deliberations

The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for nearly 40 hours before the judge declared a mistrial on 4 September. Several jurors said the panel was ultimately divided 11-1 in favour of finding Clancy not criminally responsible. Paula Devlin, another juror, said the group spent several days trying to convince Desronvil to change his mind. The jury foreperson, a retired fifth-grade teacher, described the inability to reach a verdict as an emotional rollercoaster.

Trial Background

Lindsay Clancy, 36, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder after strangling her children at the family's Massachusetts home. Her lawyers argued she suffered from postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors said the killings were calculated. To convict, jurors had to be unanimously convinced beyond reasonable doubt that she intentionally killed her children and was not acting as a result of postpartum psychosis.