Jury seated in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial, opening statements set for Monday

A jury has been seated in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, who is charged with killing her three young children at her Duxbury, Massachusetts, home. The jury is made up of 12 women and six men. 

Clancy, 35, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. The charges stem from the 2023 deaths of her children - 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan.

The trial is expected to take six to eight weeks in Plymouth Superior Court. Opening statements are expected to be given on Monday followed by the start of witness testimony.

18 jurors selected for Lindsay Clancy trial

Jury selection began July 20 and there were 12 jurors chosen after two days. On Wednesday, the jury reached 17 people on the third day of the process. Two people who had previously been seated were excused on Thursday. But later in the afternoon, the jury reached 18 and the selection process ended on the fourth day.

Judge William Sullivan wanted to seat 18 jurors even though only 12 will deliberate after all of the evidence is presented.

Each day, dozens of potential jurors were brought into the courtroom. They were questioned as a group, filled out paperwork, then met individually with the judge and attorneys. After individual questioning, the candidates were either added to the jury or sent home.

Prospective jurors were questioned about their ability to be impartial and if they could handle a potential eight-week trial. They were specifically asked about their own or their family members' experience with psychiatrists, psychologists, or mental health facilities. They also had to answer questions about exposure to postpartum depression and bipolar disorder. 

Defense wants to limit testimony from police, EMTs

Clancy's defense attorney Kevin Reddington has argued she should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. He says Clancy was overmedicated for postpartum mental health issues and was suffering from postpartum psychosis.

"The circumstances of this horrific act are not in dispute," Reddington said Thursday in court.

Reddington says his client admits she strangled her three children; therefore, he wants the judge to limit the number of police and EMTs who can testify about what they saw at the crime scene that night.

"The district attorney's intent to put a circus in front of this jury that's calculated to just inflame the passions of the jury," Reddington said.  

Prosecutors say Clancy planned the murders in advance. They allege that she sent her husband, Patrick, to pick up medication and takeout food so that he would not be home. 

Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague responded, "The Commonwealth did not choose the number of victims, the defendant did. The Commonwealth did not choose the ages of the victims, the defendant did. The Commonwealth did not choose the horrific nature in which they died, the defendant did. It is not the Commonwealth putting on a circus, or a parade, it's the Commonwealth presenting the evidence in this case to prove that the defendant killed those children and the manner in which they were killed."

The judge said he will evaluate testimony as it comes throughout the trial to decide if any of it is unfairly repetitive. 

Patrick Clancy, who is no longer married to Lindsay Clancy, is expected to be the first witness to take the stand when testimony gets underway.