In a significant pretrial ruling, a Massachusetts judge has denied the defense’s request to allow lay witnesses to testify about their own experiences with postpartum psychosis and postpartum depression at Lindsay Clancy’s upcoming murder trial. The decision, issued by Judge William Sullivan in Plymouth Superior Court, came just a week before jury selection is set to begin.
Clancy, 35, has conceded through her attorney that she killed her three young children—Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 7 months—but has pleaded not guilty to murder charges, claiming she was in the throes of a mental health crisis. Prosecutors allege she strangled the victims with exercise bands in her home’s basement, cut herself with knives, and jumped from a second-story window.
The defense had filed a last-minute motion to call witnesses who would testify to their own postpartum struggles. Prosecutors objected, arguing the motion violated discovery rules by referring to the proposed witnesses only by initials and failing to include witness statements. Judge Sullivan denied the request, stating, “It doesn’t seem like there’s a question of whether postpartum depression or psychosis is real,” and adding that experts already agree it is real, so lay testimony would offer no relevant evidence.
Sullivan also denied a defense motion to sequester the jury. Attorney Kevin Reddington had cited extensive pretrial publicity, but the judge said he would question jurors about their exposure to the case and give daily admonishments to avoid media coverage. He plans to impanel 18 jurors—above the usual 12—to decide the case.
Both sides have requested additional challenges to potential jurors. Reddington described the trial as “probably the most emotionally disturbing and challenging” in his decades of practice. He also asked for a jury instruction emphasizing that the prosecution bears the burden to prove criminal responsibility beyond a reasonable doubt once the defense raises lack of criminal responsibility. Prosecutors objected, arguing it would be premature to mention an insanity defense before expert testimony or the defendant’s formal claim.
Jury selection begins Monday, July 20, with prospective jurors receiving a questionnaire and a witness list of approximately 200 names before proceeding to voir dire.
