Lindsay Clancy said she "heard male voice ordering her" to kill children, psychologist testifies during murder trial
Lindsay Clancy's murder trial continued Tuesday in Massachusetts with the 15th day of testimony. A psychologist who met with Clancy in the hospital after her children's deaths testified that she reported hearing a male voice telling her she had to kill her children and die by suicide.
Four witnesses testified for the defense a day after the prosecution rested its case after calling 72 witnesses in Plymouth Superior Court. One of the first people to testify for the defense was Clancy's mother, Paula Musgrove. The children's other grandmother, Patrick Clancy's mother, took the stand Tuesday for the defense.
Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham are handling questioning for the prosecution in the trial while Kevin Reddington is Clancy's defense attorney.
Dr. Paul Zeizel, a clinical and forensic psychologist, took the stand around 3 p.m. He met with Clancy when she was hospitalized. Zeizel was still on the stand when court ended for the day and is expected to resume testimony Wednesday morning around 9 a.m.
Psychologist says Clancy "heard a male voice ordering her"
Reddington asked Zeizel if there was any indication that Clancy was faking her symptoms.
"My opinion in the testing of Ms. Clancy … she was not faking," Zeizel said, adding that "she presented as an honest citizen."
Zeizel was a topic of debate earlier in the trial. When she was in the hospital following the children's deaths, no one was allowed into Clancy's room. Reddington eventually got a court order that allowed Zeizel in to speak with her.
Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Dan Lawlor, who was one of the people who guarded the door, took the stand previously. Reddington asked Lawlor if it was his understanding that one of the prosecution's theories was that Zeizel told Clancy to call her husband at the time to tell him she heard voices.
Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham disputed that, trying to show that Lawlor had only heard that theory from a fellow trooper.
Zeizel testified Tuesday that Clancy expressed concern for what had happened. He said she asked for Zeizel's cellphone to call Patrick Clancy. Patrick and Lindsay Clancy were married at the time of the children's deaths, but have since divorced and he remarried.
According to Zeizel, Patrick did not answer the first call and Lindsay left a voicemail. Two days later they tried again and he picked up.
"She told Patrick that she loved him very much. She was able to express a lot of emotion, but expressed love for him. She said she heard a male voice ordering her, telling her that she didn't have any choice but she had to kill her children and then kill herself," Zeizel said.
Reddington asked if Zeizel ever asked Clancy to lie and make up that information. Zeizel said no. He also answered no when Reddington asked if he made any suggestions to Clancy about hearing voices.
The defense attorney asked why he allowed Clancy to use his cellphone.
"I let her call her husband out of human compassion," Zeizel said.
Dr. Elizabeth Laposata called as witness
Dr. Elizabeth Laposata, a Brown University professor who was a chief medical examiner in Rhode Island for 12 years, began her testimony after the lunch recess. Her time as medical examiner included work following the 1999 EgyptAir 990 plane crash and the aftermath of the deadly Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people.
Laposata, who is testifying by video conference and was not in the courtroom, also testified in Karen Read's trial. In that trial, Laposata testified for the defense about John O'Keefe's injuries.
Reddington asked Laposata to review various medical records in Clancy's case.
Laposata spoke about the injuries that Clancy suffered when she jumped out a window after killing her three children.
She said Clancy did a "freefall dive head first" out the window.
Prosecutors said Clancy planned the murders before faking a suicide attempt that left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
At one point, Clancy was crying while listening to testimony about how long it takes to strangle someone to death.
On cross-examination, the prosecutor noted that when Laposata was the chief medical examiner in Rhode Island, the office was cited for 10 violations and unsafe conditions.
Laposata responded that the unsafe conditions included a lightbulb that was out in the hallways and other minor issues.
The prosecutor also highlighted that while Laposata said Clancy dove head-first out the window, she had no skull fracture.
"You're saying she fell head-first from 13 feet on the hard ground and had no visible injuries to the exterior of her head?" Buckingham asked. Laposata said that was true.
Laposata finished her testimony at about 3 p.m.
Defense psychiatrist testifies
The prosecution objected to witness Dr. Donald Condie, saying it was unclear if what he was going to testify about was different from an affidavit.
After arguments without the jury present, Judge Sullivan ruled that he would allow the testimony.
A short time later, Condie took the stand with the jury present. He is trained in psychiatry at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center through Harvard University. He is a clinical and forensic psychiatrist.
Condie said he has spent a great deal of time treating people in the state system with psychotic disorders and mood disorders.
In Clancy's case, Condie reviewed the records of Rebecca Jollotta and Jennifer Tufts, psychiatrists who worked with Clancy for her mental health struggles, along with Brigham and Women's Hospital records. Jollotta and Tufts testified for the prosecution earlier in the trial.
"They are somewhat sparse. There are many check boxes in the records, but not a great deal of sentences that describe what was done during sessions," Condie said of Jollotta and Tufts' records.
Condie talked about the struggles that Clancy was having in late 2022.
"She talked about things like dizziness, feeling sedated in the morning if she got any sleep at all. These are symptoms that people who are experiencing postpartum depression frequently complain about. She continued to complain about anxiety," Condie said, adding, "It is a very unpleasant experience."
According to Condie, "at times she reported that she heard a voice."
On cross-examination, the prosecutor highlighted that Condie is involved in the family's civil case.
She also noted that Clancy was prescribed a large amount of medications over the months before her children's deaths, but was only taking three or four at a time. She highlighted that while Clancy's dosage was increased for her prescription, she was only taking a small number of pills that had been prescribed to her.
The prosecutor also asked Condie to confirm that, according to the records, Clancy never reported to Tufts, Jollotta or mental health clinician Latiesha Dukes that she was hearing voices. According to the prosecutor, Clancy never mentioned hearing voices until after the children's deaths.
The cross-examination concluded with the prosecutor pointing out that Condie did not interview Clancy himself; he was only reviewing records.
Condie concluded his testimony around 12:15 p.m.
Patrick Clancy's mother Susan testifies
The first witness called by the defense Tuesday was Susan Clancy, Patrick Clancy's mother and Lindsay Clancy's ex-mother-in-law. Susan Clancy said she had a very good relationship with her former daughter-in-law.
"She was very nurturing, very loving. She was a wonderful mother," Susan Clancy said. "She loved her children, all of them. Very, very much."
She said Lindsay Clancy reached out in November to say she was suffering from insomnia and was very anxious and sad. Susan Clancy, a nurse, reached out to colleagues who were running a program to help with postpartum mothers.
"Did you find that Lindsay was interested at all times in trying to get better and see doctors?" Reddington asked.
"Very much so," Susan Clancy said. "She was begging for help."
During cross-examination, Susan Clancy said she offered to help with the kids and take them overnight while Lindsay was struggling, but the family decided it was best for them to stay in their own beds. She testified she was also frequently texting with Lindsay about the drugs she was taking.
"There were a lot of medications," Susan Clancy said. "It seemed confusing."
Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham asked Susan Clancy about a Christmas Day breakfast, followed by a church visit. Clancy answered that she was an active member of the Catholic Church.
"Are you aware that murder is considered a mortal sin?" Buckingham asked.
Judge Sullivan ordered the question stricken from the record.
Lindsay Clancy trial
Clancy, 36, is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of her three children, 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan, in their Duxbury home on Jan. 24, 2023.
Clancy pleaded not guilty but admits to killing her children. Defense attorney Reddington said she should not be held criminally responsible because she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis.
If Clancy is convicted of first-degree murder, she faces life in prison without parole. If the jury finds that she was not criminally responsible for the deaths of her children, she will be sent to a state psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
