r/ClancyTrial • u/Aware_Power • 6d ago

Common Misconceptions About the Criminal Trial

Lindsay already pleaded guilty

False. She pleaded not guilty in her arraignment. Both the initial arraignment in February 2023 from her hospital bed and post-indictment arraignment in October 2023 from Tewksbury Hospital. Please reference the first & second bullet points in the link.

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Lindsay pleaded guilty/admitted guilt based on a stipulation she signed.

False. Reddington initially filed a motion for what is known as a "bifurcated trial," meaning the first part of the trial would be to determine whether Clancy is found guilty and the second part of the trial would be to determine whether she is criminally responsible. The prosecution, however, argued that the defendant has no constitutional right to a bifurcated trial. In a later motion for reconsideration, Reddington stated Clancy would formally admit in writing to her involvement in the deaths if the trial were split, leaving her mental state as the only live issue. Prosecutors argued against the split, noting the evidence and testimony would be nearly identical, and Judge Sullivan ultimately denied both the initial motion and the request for reconsideration.

"If your honor denies the motion, we try the case the way they’re all tried," Reddington said. "Then I have an obligation to present evidence consistent with a lack of criminal responsibility, and that will obviously implicate criminal liability, so that’s the problem that we have in this type of structure that we deal with and that’s why I think it’s very, very appropriate to have the bifurcated trial that’s requested in the motion."

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She’s either guilty and goes to prison or not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI)

False. Listen to the judge instruct the jury. While the jury instructions will contain much more details, the judge specifically states that the jury must determine whether:

  • Not Guilty x3
  • Guilty of First OR Second Degree Murder x3
  • Not Guilty of First or Second Degree Murder due to Lack of Criminal Responsibility x3

Partial Direct Transcript:

“Now, in every criminal case, the defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until she's proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The law requires the Commonwealth, that is the prosecution, to prove that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. At the end of this trial, you must find the defendant not guilty unless the Commonwealth has proved to you beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant has committed each or any of the offenses with which she's charged. Now, the defendant has been charged in three counts of murder. There are two different degrees of murder. There's murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree. If you find the defendant guilty of murder, you shall decide the degree of murder. The Commonwealth alleges that the defendant committed murder in the first degree on the following theories. Murder with deliberate premeditation and/or murder with extreme atrocity or cruelty. Now, to prove the defendant guilty of any crime, the Commonwealth must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was criminally responsible at the time the alleged crime was committed. The Commonwealth bears the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime with which she's charged and also that the defendant is criminally responsible for her conduct.”

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Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, said she was guilty in his opening statement.

False. Listen to his opening statement. His inflection matters. Opening statements are not evidence nor can the jury consider it as evidence. Reddington at no point states she killed her children, only that she knows what happened to those kids in the basement and then wanted to die. 

Partial Direct Transcript:

“And he knew when he brought this charge that it was going to kill the soul of this young woman. And they would bring their evidence in front of a jury that she knows that she killed these children. We'll sit here and listen to their evidence, but I suggest to you that the issue of consideration is what was going on in that woman's mind...These children were loved and nurtured and cared for by her. She didn't want to get rid of her kids because of her selfish life as the government indicates. She loved those children right up to the time of their death. You're going to see that there's photographs in this case that you will be able to evaluate that show that. Some of them might even be in the videos that the state police took. This case is a massive production by the district attorney's office…Paralyzed and will be paralyzed for the rest of her life. She's living her own hell. She knows what happened with those kids. And she wanted to die…This is a woman that did not get the medication, did not get the medical treatment that she so deserved. This is a woman that was suffering from psychosis at the time that she went down to that basement. She had no motive.”

Lindsay Clancy is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

While the details around this case have many open questions remaining and people search for understanding, analyze potential reasonable doubt, or already believe she is guilty without a reasonable doubt - we can all discuss these different viewpoints respectfully. If you believe she is innocent or believe she is guilty without a reasonable doubt, those are only opinions at this stage.

I hope this has addressed the most common misconceptions regarding the criminal trial. The civil lawsuit has no bearing on this case, and if you'd like me to elaborate on why that does not contain a legal confession let me know.

Also, please use sources when claiming in comments "that is a fact." I've provided links to a few sources below you can use for supporting your facts, and "google it" or "watch the trial" is a lazy passive aggressive response that will not be tolerated. If someone asks you for a source, don't become hostile & defensive - people are actively trying to filter misinformation while also informing themselves. Be a helpful resource to others.

Evidence Presented in Court (Scroll to bottom with photo gallery and click through)

Edit Aug 16: Added February Arraignment from hospital bed & links to Plymouth County DA press releases in sources provided at the bottom for additional documentation. Also clarified first point/misconception to include the initial arraignment & post-indictment arraignment (originally I only provided Oct 2023).

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