A retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge shared insights into Lindsay Clancy’s case, emphasizing the challenges of a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict. Clancy faces charges for the deaths of her three children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan, found strangled in January 2023.
Judge Jack Lu explained that even if Clancy is acquitted on these grounds, extensive time in a mental institution is likely. Mental health officials, often siding with prosecutors, would periodically review her commitment.
“They’re viewed as an arm of the prosecution,” Lu remarked. He’s frank in saying, “if in doubt, lock them up.”
Lu highlighted that another release avenue involves court intervention. If doctors do not support her release, the court might decide if she poses a danger, leading to a contested hearing.
Clancy’s case draws comparisons to Constance Fisher’s 1954 case, where Fisher drowned her children. After years in a mental hospital, she faced similar charges in 1967 and met a tragic end in the Kennebec River.
The jury in Clancy’s trial, consisting of nine women and three men, including a female foreperson, has yet to reach a verdict after three days of deliberations. They pause for the day under Judge William Sullivan and will resume deliberations on Tuesday.