A makeshift memorial outside of the Clancy home on January 26, 2023.Matthew J. Lee/Globe StaffJudge sends jurors home, ending trial for the day — 3:11 p.m.
By Travis Andersen and Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Judge Sullivan sent jurors home for the day around 3:05 p.m. following a sidebar. He said they’ll be back to continue hearing testimony Wednesday morning, reminding them to avoid any outside coverage of the case.
Sullivan did not say why he was stopping the trial an hour early today, but prosecutors appeared poised to play the 911 recording of Patrick Clancy’s call for help after returning to his Duxbury home with takeout.
Sullivan called the lawyers back to sidebar to discuss the view following the jury’s exit.Sullivan called a recess in the case until 9 a.m. Wednesday before exiting the bench before 3:10 p.m.
Patrick Clancy says Lindsay was ‘normal’ when he left for dinner — 3:07 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay was standing in the living room doorway with Callan when he left to pick up takeout.
Lindsay’s demeanor, he said, was “normal” at the time.
The lawyers were called back to sidebar.
Patrick Clancy discusses takeout order — 3:06 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he texted Lindsay early on the evening of Jan. 24 asking if Callan had taken a nap, and she said he had taken a shorter one.
He said they also texted about their food orders, which Lindsay called in at 3V.
He later rocked Callan for a moment on his knees and kissed Cora on her head, telling them “I’ll be right back” with the food, he said.
Patrick Clancy describes ordering takeout before the killings — 3:03 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he went upstairs “once or twice” to interact with Lindsay and the children on Jan. 24, 2023 as he worked from home.
Lindsay seemed in a good mood and did not voice suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming the children that day, he said.
He said Lindsay texted him about picking up takeout at the Plymouth restaurant 3V, where they’d eaten before.
They had never ordered takeout from their before, he said. Normally they ordered takeout from one of two establishments closer to home.
Patrick Clancy reacts as images of himself and his children on vacation a month before they were killed is shown in the courtroom.Greg Derr/The Patriot LedgerPatrick Clancy describes texts with Lindsay from morning before killings — 3:00 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay and Cora returned home around 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, 2023.
While he worked from home that morning, he said, Lindsay and the children built a snowman and did some projects.
He identified texts that he and Lindsay sent each other throughout the day. The messages were entered as exhibits.
Patrick Clancy discusses texts, photos exchanged with Lindsay in January — 2:58 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay and her mother took a photo together during the weekend of that January visit, and that her mother had texted her that she was pleased she was doing better.
He said Cora and Dawson went to school on Jan. 23, 2023, and that Lindsay picked them up that afternoon.
Patrick said Lindsay usually handled making appointments for the children.
Cora had a doctor’s appointment on Jan. 24, and Lindsay drove her that morning, Patrick said.
The couple texted back and forth that morning, and he sent her one photo of Dawson after he’d dressed himself completely for the first time.
Lindsay, he said, replied with a photo of Cora. Both pictures were admitted as exhibits.
Defendant Lindsay Clancy fights back tears as the details of her children’s death are read in court.Greg Derr/Greg Derr/Pool The Patriot LedgePatrick Clancy describes the weekends in mid-January — 2:54 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy also identified photos he and Lindsay texted each other on the day of the ski trip on Jan. 16, 2023.
He said Lindsay appeared to be doing better then, and that her parents came to visit the weekend of January 21.
On the night of the 22nd, he and Lindsay went to dinner at a friend’s house with Dawson and Cora. Lindsay was “quieter that day” and able to interact with their friends, he said.
Patrick Clancy discusses ski trip — 2:50 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Following the sidebar, Patrick Clancy said he went skiing with Cora on Jan. 16, 2023, with another father and child.
Lindsay stayed home that day with the other two children, and there were no issues, Patrick said. They texted throughout the day, he added.
Patrick also identified a text thread that day between himself and Lindsay.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy identified Cora and Lindsay going down the slide together at the waterpark during the visit on Jan. 15, 2023.
He said Lindsay was able to interact with the children during the trip to the facility, and he was comfortable with Lindsay going off to one area of the pool by herself with Callan.
Following the video, the lawyers were called back to sidebar.
Prosecution plays video of Clancy family at water park — 2:41 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy identified photos of Lindsay and the children at the water park on Jan. 15, 2023.
Prosecutors then played a video clip of the couple and their children arriving at the water park, along with additional video footage showing the children on a water park slide.
Patrick Clancy says Lindsay ‘seemed much better’ in mid-January — 2:37 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Following the sidebar, Patrick Clancy said Lindsay had interacted with their children at the various exhibits during their trip to the Museum of Science, and that they later went to dinner at a restaurant.
“She seemed much better,” he said of Lindsay.
On Jan. 14, he said he went to brunch with his friends for about two hours while Lindsay remained home with the children. Lindsay encouraged him to go, he said, and there were no issues.
The next day, Jan. 15, he said the family went to a waterpark in Hyannis, where Lindsay’s demeanor “seemed pretty good.”
Patrick Clancy discusses checking in with Lindsay — 2:24 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Around the time of the party, Patrick said he checked in with Lindsay “every day” about how she was feeling. He recalled that she said she was not having suicidal thoughts and did not express thoughts about harming the children then.
Lindsay, he said, accompanied Patrick and the children to the Museum of Science on Jan. 8, 2023.
The lawyers were called back to sidebar.
Patrick Clancy discusses daughter’s birthday party — 2:22 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
He said Cora’s birthday party was held in Plymouth on Jan. 7, 2023.
Lindsay Clancy was present for it, and she had also gotten the supplies for the gathering, Patrick said.
He identified a video clip from the party showing Cora seated with Lindsay as guests sang happy birthday.
Patrick Clancy describes his children while looking at their photos — 2:20 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Following the sidebar, Patrick Clancy said Cora “was into princesses.”
He struggled to maintain his composure as he said his oldest child had a lot of friends and liked “taking care of people.”
Dawson, he said, enjoyed fire engines and trucks and the show Paw Patrol, while Callan was “just a happy baby.”
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay was discharged from McLean on Jan. 5, 2023, with an appointment scheduled the following day with Dr. Jennifer Tufts.
He also identified photos of his children and said “yes” when asked if the pictures accurately depicted the kids in January 2023.
With Cora’s photo placed on the monitor, Reddington objected and the lawyers were called to sidebar.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington.Greg Derr/Greg Derr/Pool The Patriot LedgePatrick Clancy returns to stand — 2:15 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy was called back to the stand shortly before 2:15 p.m. following the lunch recess.
Jurors were seated soon after
Clancy case reveals gaps in postpartum mental health care — 1:53 p.m.
By Sarah Rahal, Globe Staff
The Lindsay Clancy case has raised broader questions about how someone like Clancy — a former labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital who repeatedly sought help — could still struggle to access appropriate care.
It also raises concerns about what that means for other mothers, particularly those with fewer resources or less familiarity with the health care system.
In the last three years, Massachusetts has made expansive efforts to improve maternal health including requiring doctors to screen for postpartum depression and launching a home visiting program after birth. Still, experts say major gaps remain.
Several mothers told the Globe they struggled to find appropriate care after childbirth, underscoring concerns that the state’s mental health system remains ill-equipped to identify and treat severe postpartum illness early.
Who else will testify? — 1:38 p.m.
By Shelley Murphy and Nick Stoico, Globe Staff
The lists of potential witnesses in this trial are long: prosecutors have filed a list of 168 potential witnesses, while the defense’s list contains 53 names. But several dozen of those on the defense list are also named by the prosecution, including Lindsay Clancy’s parents, her ex-husband’s parents, and some of her friends and associates.
The witness list suggests the trial could become a clash of forensic psychiatrists over whether Clancy was criminally responsible for the deaths of her children. The prosecution and defense will both rely heavily on the testimony of mental health experts since the case largely hinges on whether jurors find that Lindsay Clancy had the ability to control her actions.
Ahead of lunch break, Patrick Clancy discusses Lindsay’s McLean stay — 1:02 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he wasn’t aware of Lindsay asking for a Jan. 6 discharge to attend Cora’s birthday party.
He said he wasn’t aware of any insurance issues with his wife’s care at McLean.
“But I wouldn’t have cared, either,” he said. “I would have paid anything.”
Jurors left for the lunch break at 1 p.m. Testimony resumes around 2 p.m.
Patrick Clancy discusses Lindsay’s stay at McLean Hospital — 1:00 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay arrived at McLean early on Jan. 1, 2023 after being transferred there from MGH.
She was there for five days, he said, and he visited two or three times.
“It didn’t really seem like she was getting any treatment,” Patrick said, adding that Lindsay took a while to see a doctor owing to the holiday.
He said he wasn’t aware that Lindsay was seen by medical providers on a daily basis.
He said he wasn’t aware that Lindsay had declined further group therapy at McLean after some initial sessions.
Patrick Clancy discusses Lindsay’s MGH appointment — 12:55 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said his wife had an appointment on Dec. 15, 2022 at Mass. General, where staff recommended a day program at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence.
He said Lindsay enrolled in the program for a day, and that the providers determined the program wasn’t right for her.
Patrick said he didn’t recall the specific dates in December when Lindsay worked out at a club they regularly visited.
“She’s no longer saying she has any thought of harming the children, correct?” asked prosecutor Shanan Buckingham.
“Correct,” Patrick said, adding that Lindsay went to McLean on Dec. 31 because she continued to voice suicidal thoughts.
Patrick Clancy wasn’t concerned for kids’ safety in December 2022 — 12:49 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he never witnessed Lindsay harm their children.
He said he felt that his wife’s next appointment with a health provider had to be in person in December 2022.
Patrick said he wasn’t concerned for his children’s safety at the time.
“Because she wasn’t showing any intention of harming the kids,” he said.
Patrick Clancy, Lindsay Clancy’s former husband, testifies
Patrick Clancy was called as the prosecution’s first witness.
Patrick Clancy says Lindsay had thoughts of harming the kids — 12:47 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he had never heard Lindsay voice suicidal thoughts prior to December 2022.
He said he did not recall clicking on a link on a tablet at home marked “methods of suicide” in August of that year.
He said he wanted to support his wife once she voiced thoughts of self-harm.
He said his wife also described “thoughts of hurting the kids” or of the children suffering severe ailments.
She did not describe a voice in her head at the time.
Patrick said she had no plan to harm her children and found the thoughts disturbing.
She voiced such thoughts “a couple times” in December 2022 and that she was more worried that something “might happen” to her children.
Early focus on overmedication — 12:45 p.m.
By Sean Cotter, Globe Staff
During the first hour Patrick Clancy was on the stand, the prosecution sought to undermine the idea that Lindsay Clancy was over-medicated, which is expected to be a key point of contention at the trial.
Patrick talked about how his wife’s mental health seemed to decline in the time she was taking Zoloft and other medications.
“It wasn’t working — she was only getting worse,” he said.
But, the prosecutor pressed, she only took seven pills in total of Zoloft, which the defense has held up as an inappropriately prescribed drug. Similar for some other medications, the prosecutor suggested.
“There were a lot of pills prescribed, but not a lot of pills taken, correct?” the prosecutor said. Patrick Clancy acknowledged that may be the case.
Patrick Clancy says Lindsay began having suicidal thoughts in 2022 — 12:43 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he didn’t recall Lindsay starting a new med in early December 2022, thinking it may have happened earlier.
She had an “awful” time on that medication, he said, losing significant weight and beginning to voice suicidal thoughts.
He said Lindsay told him at the time that she did not have a plan to kill herself.
Patrick Clancy discusses Lindsay’s demeanor in fall 2022 — 12:41 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said the family in November 2022 visited Lindsay’s parents in Connecticut and his sister’s home in Southampton around Thanksgiving.
He identified a photo of Lindsay smiling with his relatives at his sister’s house. Lindsay was in “rough shape” that day and highly depressed, he said.
“She had low energy,” Patrick said. “We both took care of the kids together.”
He said he didn’t recall arranging for a massage for Lindsay and then reserving dinner for the couple to celebrate their December wedding anniversary.
“We wanted to go out, but we canceled because she wasn’t feeling well,” he said. “So we stayed home. We got takeout.”
He said the family in late November took a trip to pick up a Christmas tree.
Lindsay Clancy’s father, Michael Musgrove, makes no comment while leaving Plymouth Superior Court, during the lunch break for her murder trial, on Monday, July 27, 2026.Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffPatrick Clancy said Lindsay may not have taken a lot of her medications — 12:36 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said “it’s possible” that “not a lot” of the prescribed pills were taken by Lindsay.
He said he thought she was on a maximum of three or four pills at any given time, but he said when asked that it wouldn’t be surprising to learn she was prescribed two to three at any time.
He said Lindsay drove herself to and from the hospital to get checked out on Nov. 16, 2022 after she had gone 48 hours without sleeping.
He said she was having heart palpitations, but he was not aware she had taken a marijuana edible gummy that day.
Patrick Clancy says he didn’t track number of pills Lindsay took — 12:33 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay was prescribed Ativan in October 2022.
Asked if he knew she took only six of the 30 prescribed pills, he said, “no, but I think the context is important,” noting that “there were adjustments made on the dosage.”
He said he didn’t recall the similarly low number of pills she had taken from other prescriptions.
“I wasn’t keeping track of the number of pills taken out of each bottle,” he said.
Patrick Clancy discusses Lindsay’s prescriptions — 12:29 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he provided investigators with a list of all the prescriptions Lindsay received between September 2022 and January 2023.
He said he was “not always” with Lindsay when she took her medication.
Patrick said “the police took a bag of prescription medications … the night my kids passed away.”
He said there were additional medications that his wife had stopped taking that were contained in the center console of his vehicle.
Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague of the Plymouth County DA’s office enters a bag of prescription pills into evidence that were prescribed to Lindsay Clancy, many of the pills were never taken according to Sprague.Greg Derr/The Patriot LedgerPatrick Clancy says his mother recommended a provider — 12:24 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said his mother, a nurse at South Shore Hospital, recommended that Lindsay see a provider at an affiliated clinic named Julie Paul in November 2022.
Patrick said Lindsay began seeing a nurse practitioner after Paul left the clinic.
He said Lindsay did not tell him about therapy sessions she had in that time frame with a provider named Latiesha Dukes.
Patrick Clancy discusses his wife’s Zoloft usage — 12:23 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay began seeing Dr. Jennifer Tufts, and that the couple discussed her medication in October 2022.
“I learned that she was taking the Zoloft … and we were seeing how it went,” Patrick said.
She “wasn’t really improving” on the Zoloft and appeared more depressed, Patrick said. He said Lindsay “may have” told him at one point that providers advised her to double the Zoloft dosage.
He said Lindsay asked him at one point to sleep in the basement so she could sleep alone in their room with Callan because she struggled with sleep. After a couple nights, he said, Lindsay slept in the basement instead for a couple of weeks.
He said he was not aware that Lindsay had only taken seven pills of her prescribed Zoloft.
“She just kept getting worse and worse” from October to mid-December 2022, Patrick said.
Patrick Clancy details conversation about Lindsay taking medication — 12:15 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he returned to work in August 2022, prompting his wife to have “increased anxiety” and to be “stressed out.”
He said he previously indicated she was stressed but in good spirits at the time.
Lindsay at one point said “it’s so unnatural to be separated from your newborn” as her return date at work drew closer.
When the couple attended a wedding in September 2022, he said, Lindsay informed him she would start taking Zoloft for her anxiety, with plans to see a psychiatrist.
Patrick Clancy discusses active life for family — 12:12 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said his two older children in late 2022 were involved in gymnastics, as well as swimming and skiing and soccer.
Cora “didn’t really like” soccer but tried it for a time, he said.
Patrick also said the couple at times took their children swimming, and that Lindsay worked out, having been a competitive cheerleader in high school and college.
Patrick Clancy discusses hiring of nanny — 12:09 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he and Lindsay alternated drop offs and pickups at preschool for the two older children.
He said the couple hired a nanny in August or September 2022, with a plan for the nanny to work 12 hours each week.
The nanny was hired to take care of “everyone, but mainly it was going to be Callan,” Patrick said.
He said the nanny “was an amazing caregiver” but they ultimately let her go because Lindsay was at home as well.
Patrick Clancy, the father of Cora, Dawson and Callan Clancy testifies for the prosecution against his ex wife Lindsay Clancy.Greg Derr/The Patriot LedgerPatrick Clancy discusses day care — 12:07 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said the plan was for Lindsay to work two shifts per week after Callan’s birth.
He said he “always put money aside” in case Lindsay needed more time away from work.
Cora and Dawson, he said, attended preschool in Duxbury during the fall of 2022.
Patrick Clancy describes summer after third child’s birth — 12:06 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said the summer after Callan’s birth “was great,” since both parents had time to spend with the kids.
“We went on a couple vacations,” Patrick said. “We went to the beach. We went out on our boat. And went to friends’ houses.”
He said Lindsay began struggling again that fall as her scheduled return to work drew closer.
“Just a lot of stress,” Patrick said. “There were days where she had all three kids, and you know, there’s different nap schedules and different needs, so it was just really stressful.”
Patrick Clancy says after third birth, Lindsay didn’t go back to work — 12:02 p.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said at one point he and his wife cleaned out their garage and sold items online.
That project, he said, “was always ongoing.”
He said Callan was born on May 26, 2022, and that delivery was “great from what I could tell. … I don’t think there was as much physical trauma.”
Lindsay “never went back” to work after Callan’s birth, but she’d been allotted 18 weeks, while he had 12 weeks of paternity leave.
Patrick Clancy corrects record of Lindsay’s second leave — 11:59 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy corrected himself after looking at paperwork suggesting that Lindsay had 18 weeks of leave after Dawson’s birth.
“It was always when she had to go back to work, that’s when she struggled,” Patrick said. “She just had a really hard time being separated from” her children.
He said his wife “got a therapist for a short period of time” after Dawson’s birth, “but it didn’t last very long.”
Patrick Clancy discusses Lindsay’s return to work — 11:58 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay normally worked 20 hours per week after Cora was born, a schedule that remained until the birth of their second child, Dawson, on Sept. 30, 2019.
A babysitter also helped out in the home at that time, he said, and Dawson’s birth was “pretty traumatic,” causing significant bruising and tearing for Lindsay.
Her leave was 13 or 14 weeks after Dawson’s birth, Patrick said.
Patrick Clancy describes Lindsay’s struggles after first birth — 11:55 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said Lindsay had “a lot of tearing” and “bled a lot” after Cora’s birth, which took her a while to recover from.
Lindsay, Patrick said, worked as a labor and delivery nurse.
He said Lindsay’s maternity leave was 10 or 11 weeks for Cora, the shortest leave for any of the three children.
He said Lindsay “had a lot of anxiety” at that time, but he was not aware of her taking any psychiatric medications then.
He said her anxiety grew as her return to work loomed following Cora’s birth.
Defendant Lindsay Clancy fights back tears as the details of her children’s death are read in court.Greg Derr/The Patriot LedgerPatrick Clancy recounts early life with Lindsay — 11:52 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy said he and Lindsay lived together first in Quincy and then Weymouth, marrying in December 2016.
Cora was born Dec. 24, 2017 while they lived in Weymouth, Patrick said.
He said he didn’t recall Lindsay ever telling him before they married that she had taken psychiatric medication while in nursing school.
Patrick Clancy said he worked from home from 2018 until 2023.
Patrick Clancy takes stand — 11:50 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy, wearing a navy suit, told jurors he now lives in New York and works in tech.
He identified his former wife in the courtroom and said he met her in South Boston in May 2013.
They met “through my cousin,” Lindsay Clancy’s former college roommate, Patrick said.
Patrick Clancy, Lindsay Clancy’s former husband, begins testifying — 11:47 a.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy was called as the prosecution’s first witness. He’s on the witness lists for both the prosecution and the defense.
Jurors brought back in, Patrick expected to take the stand — 11:46 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Jurors were called back in to the courtroom from their morning recess around 11:45 a.m.
Patrick Clancy is expected to take the stand momentarily.
Lindsay Clancy is claiming the insanity defense. What does that mean? — 11:42 a.m.
By Sean Cotter, Globe Staff
Lindsay Clancy doesn’t dispute that she killed her three children. Yet she continues to plead not guilty – pursuing what’s commonly known as the insanity defense. Essentially, she’s arguing that she should not be convicted because she was so deep in the throes of post-partum depression and possibly suffering from postpartum psychosis, as well as being over-medicated.
Ultimately, the jury that’s been seated for the trial will be asked to decide on that question: was Clancy, in her mental state at the time, able to recognize what she was doing was illegal or wrong? Judge William Sullivan, who’s presiding over the case, will tell the jurors that someone is not criminally responsible if they have “a mental disease or defect” that causes them to lack the ability “to appreciate the criminality or wrongfulness” of an act or to follow the law.
In Massachusetts, the burden is on the prosecutors to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt. If they don’t, the jury is instructed to acquit.
Timeline: Clancy was prescribed 13 medications over four months — 11:40 a.m.
By Sarah Rahal, Globe Staff
Before killing her three children, Clancy was prescribed 13 psychiatric medications by multiple providers, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, emergency department doctors, and staff at an inpatient psychiatric program.
The medications included antidepressants like Zoloft, antipsychotics like Seroquel, sedatives like Benadryl and Klonopin, benzodiazepines like Valium, and the mood stabilizer Lamictal. Even as Clancy sought help, her symptoms worsened as she experienced insomnia, depression, anxiety and, ultimately, hallucinations.
The timeline is central to her defense, which argues Clancy’s clinical course was complicated by “polypharmacy and the involvement of multiple prescribers,” while prosecutors contend she was criminally responsible despite her documented mental health struggles.
The main focuses of the prosecution and defense — 11:31 a.m.
By Sean Cotter, Globe Staff
Opening statements are often seen as a roadmap of each side’s strategy. In these statements, attorneys look to prepare the jury for how to think about the case, and what evidence to pay extra close attention to.
With that in mind, here were some of the main points each side sought to make:
The prosecution:
The horrors of the day. The prosecution’s opening statement started with talk about the children. Expect the prosecutors to call first responders to talk about what they saw when they arrived that day, painting a vivid picture for the jurors.Clancy’s normalcy at the time. Prosecutors stressed that though Clancy had been experiencing mental-health issues, she’d been coherent and competent the day of the killings, taking one of her children to the doctor and behaving normally. Expect to hear testimony to that effect from people who encountered her that day.A tight focus on Clancy. Prosecutors stressed that this isn’t a referendum on the system, but rather about the “selfish” actions of one capable and calculating woman who decided to kill herself and, along the way, conciously to take her children with her.
The defense:
Overmedication. The defense ticked through all the medications she’d been prescribed, stressing the increasing amounts she’d been prescribed and saying they were mismatched to one another and her condition.Her suicide attempt. Reddington spent a significant amount of time in his opening ready to rebut an idea that Clancy’s attempt to kill herself after killing her children was a fake effort, though the prosecutors did not address such a theory in their opening. Clancy’s injuries were severe, and she was left paralyzed, Reddington said, suggesting the seriousness of her attempt.The Plymouth DA’s office. It’s a time-honored strategy: put the prosecution on trial. Reddington referenced the fact Plymouth District Attorney Tim Cruz was in the front row, and that his office had pushed the prosecution of an unwell woman.Clancy sobs as trial heads to morning recess — 11:13 a.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Following opening statements from the prosecution and defense, Judge Sullivan announced the trial will go to a 20-minute morning recess.
During both opening statements, Clancy stared straight ahead. But as soon as the jury was led out of the courtroom for the morning break, she put her face in her hands and sobbed.
Defense says Clancy told doctors she was suicidal — 11:10 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington said to jurors that Clancy told her doctors that she was suicidal.
“And in December, to his and her ever dying regret, [she] told Patrick, in the presence of her mother, that she was having psychosis, [and] thoughts of hurting the children,” Reddington said.
He said Clancy did not receive the treatment required for her condition.
“This is a woman who was suffering from psychosis at the time that she went down to that basement,” Reddington said.
“She had no motive. She loved her children. She intended to kill herself. She didn’t fake that.”
Reddington said jurors will hear “emotional” testimony throughout the trial.
“And thank you for your service,” he said.
Lindsay Clancy’s attorney delivers defense opening
Clancy’s attorney, Kevin J. Reddington, recounted Clancy’s medication history during his defense opening.
Defense recounts Clancy’s meds — 11:06 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington rattled off a number of different medications that his client was prescribed in the fall and early winter of 2022.
On New Year’s Eve 2022, he said, his client went to McLean Hospital for five days.
“Her daughter’s birthday was coming up and she wanted to leave,” Reddington said. “She didn’t want more drugs, she wanted off the drugs.”
Yet providers continued prescribing more medication in January of 2023, he said.
Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer, during his opening statement on the first day of trial.Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger‘Command hallucinations’ will be at issue — 11:05 a.m.
By Sean Cotter, Globe Staff
There will be significant testimony throughout the trial about how Lindsay Clancy heard a voice telling her to kill her children.
Both the prosecution and defense spent some time talking about such “command hallucinations.” The prosecution sought to lay the groundwork for the jury to doubt this happened
“I ask that you consider the source, the timing, the substance of this voice,” said Buckingham, the prosecutor. She stressed Clancy never claims to have heard such a voice before or since.
Reddington seemed ready to rebut a claim that the prosecution didn’t make in the opening: that Clancy only started claiming to have heard the voice after speaking to Reddington and an expert Reddington brought to see her in the hospital.
“There was no plan to fake her sickness,” Reddington insisted.
Defense recounts the number of medications Clancy took — 11:03 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington said a number of witnesses will describe “what kind of mother she was,” and that his client was also Googling about pharmaceutical treatments, postpartum issues, thoughts of self harm, and killing.
“This was a woman who … dedicated her life to helping people and to being a good person and a good nurse, and a good mother,” Reddington said.
By fall of 2022, Reddington said, his client was reporting problems with the various drugs she’d been prescribed, and her mother-in-law also recommended another mental health provider.
By Thanksgiving 2022, Reddington continued, Clancy “was walking around absolutely a zombie” and would also be seen “banging her head into” a sofa pillow.
“Is this someone that’s faking because she doesn’t want to be a mother anymore?” Reddington said.
Patrick Clancy, Lindsay’s former husband, is expected to testify soon. Here’s what to know. — 11:00 a.m.
By Sean Cotter, Globe staff
Patrick Clancy is expected to testify first in the trial once opening statements conclude. While he’s being called by the prosecution, he’s publicly said he forgives Lindsay — his now former wife.
Writing just days after his three children died, Patrick Clancy said, “I want to ask all of you that you find it deep within yourselves to forgive Lindsay, as I have. The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone — me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients. The very fibers of her soul are loving. All I wish for her now is that she can somehow find peace.”
He also filed in January a medical malpractice and wrongful death complaint against some of Lindsay Clancy’s doctors, arguing that the children might still be alive today if their mother had gotten adequate care.
Read more about Patrick Clancy here.
Patrick Clancy, left, arrives at Plymouth Superior Court for the murder trial of his former wife, Lindsay Clancy, on Monday, July 27, 2026.Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffDefense recounts Clancy’s description of command voices — 10:54 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington said police wouldn’t let anyone near Clancy during her first week in the hospital.
He said the government claims falsely that Clancy first began describing a voice in her head only after speaking with one of his experts.
But when she came out of a coma in the hospital, Reddington said, she asked about her family and told a hospital staffer about the command voices she’d heard.
That was well before his expert had spoken with her, Reddington said.
Defense describes Lindsay Clancy’s injuries — 10:50 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington told jurors his client “threw herself out the window” striking her head on the ground and fracturing her neck.
She also shattered her spine, he said, and his client is “living her own hell. She knows what happened with those kids, and she wanted to die when she was in the hospital.”
Defense says Patrick Clancy will testify — 10:49 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington told jurors that Patrick Clancy will testify to what the couple “went through” as they parented three children.
In September 2022, Reddington said, “things went sideways.”
After the killings, Reddington said, Lindsay Clancy took a knife and cut her throat in front of a second floor bedroom mirror.
“This is no fake suicide,” Reddington said, placing photos on the monitor of his client’s neck and wrist wounds, as well as blood next to the bed and a bloodied kitchen knife set next to a mug that said “Because Kids.”
“She couldn’t sleep for months,” Reddington said of his client.
Defense says Clancy was a high achiever — 10:43 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Reddington told jurors that his client was “physically fit” and a high achiever.
“She loved her children,” Reddington said, adding that his client and her husband “had it all.”
“They’re living in a very, very humble house in Duxbury,” Reddington said. “That house … doesn’t look at all” now how it did at the time of the killings.
In every room, he said, the Clancys had decorations and toys suggesting “these children were loved and nurtured and cared for. … She loved those children right up to the time of their death.”
Clancy did not, as prosecutors contend, “want to get ride of her kids because of her selfish life,” Reddington said.
Clancy’s attorney begins defense opening — 10:38 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Clancy’s attorney, Kevin J. Reddington, told jurors that “in this case, God bless you — you people are going to have to listen to some of the most horrific things” and “look at some of the most horrific things.”
Reddington said jurors “owe allegiance to nothing but your oath” and that the government claims the case is not about women’s health and postpartum psychosis.
“But it sure as hell is,” Reddington said, adding that Plymouth District Attorney Tim Cruz, in bringing murder charges, knew “it was going to kill the soul of this young woman.”
Clancy stares straight during prosecution’s openings — 10:36 a.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Lindsay Clancy stared straight ahead during the prosecution’s opening statement, hanging her head to the side at one point.
Now, as her attorney begins his opening statement, she continues staring straight ahead, not looking at the jurors.
Prosecutor ends opening, says Clancy ‘coldly’ executed her children — 10:34 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that Lindsay Clancy killed her children “with no hesitation, with deliberate premeditation, and extreme atrocity and cruelty. … She knew exactly what she was doing.”
Buckingham said Clancy “attempted to kill herself to escape the consequences.”
Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham gives opening statement
Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham delivered an opening statement during trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Duxbury mother accused of killing her three children. (undefined)
Prosecutor says Lindsay made ‘calculated decision’ to kill — 10:33 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that Lindsay Clancy killed her children before trying to take her own life.
“This was a woman who no longer liked the life she thought she wanted,” Buckingham said. “It was getting harder and harder to control, and when she saw the opportunity to escape, she made the selfish choice to take it and to take Cora, Dawson, and Callan first. … Because no one could take care of her kids the way she wanted them to, she had to take them with her.”
Prosecutor says Lindsay Clancy acted ‘rationally’ to kill — 10:30 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that Lindsay Clancy “was not a woman in the throes of psychosis” on the day of the killings.
“This was a woman who acted intentionally, rationally, and swiftly to accomplish a very specific goal: to kill,” Buckingham said, adding that Lindsay could be “extremely controlling, meticulous, and manipulative. … It was hard for her to bond with her kids.”
Prosecutor says Lindsay Clancy had spinal injuries — 10:28 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that Lindsay Clancy “is paralyzed” from her jump, and that she suffered spinal injuries.
She said prosecutors expect the defense to say Clancy heard voice telling her to kill the children.
“Once she killed the children the voice stopped,” Buckingham said. “I ask that you consider the source, the timing, the substance of her statements about this voice.”
Prosecutor says Lindsay Clancy tried to take her own life — 10:26 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that after killing her children, Lindsay Clancy tried to end her own life by cutting herself and jumping from a second-story window.
It was “eerily quiet” when Patrick Clancy returned home, she said.
Buckingham said he found his wife “moaning and mumbling” in the backyard.
After first responders arrived, Patrick went down to the basement because his wife said they were down there, Buckingham said.
He later discovered his children’s bodies and shouted, “she killed the kids,” Buckingham said.
Prosecutor says Patrick Clancy left for takeout in early evening — 10:23 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that Patrick Clancy left the house around 5:15 p.m. to get the food and medication at CVS for their daughter Cora.
“That’s when the clock starts, ladies and gentlemen,” Buckingham said.
She said Lindsay Clancy wrapped “exercised bands around each child’s neck and pulled until they were dead” in the basement.
Prosecutor says Patrick Clancy texted wife morning of killings — 10:21 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors that Patrick Clancy had texted Lindsay a photo of Dawson “jumping for joy” while she was at the doctor’s with their daughter.
Around 4 p.m., Lindsay Clancy searched for takeout and “searched how much time” it would take Patrick Clancy to get to a Plymouth restaurant, which wasn’t their normal takeout spot.
Prosecutor says jury will hear from long list of witnesses — 10:19 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Buckingham told jurors “the list of witnesses” is quite long in the case.
Over the next few weeks, she said, jurors will get “a clear picture” of what was happening in the Clancy household in January 2023.
On Jan. 24, 2023, Buckingham said, it had recently snowed and the children were home, and Clancy brought Cora to a doctor’s appointment.
Prosecutor begins opening — 10:18 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham said Cora Clancy had just turned 5 at the time of the killings.
Dawson Clancy was 3, Buckingham said, and “funny, full of energy. .. And he spoke with a raspy little voice.”
Callan was 8 months old, she said.
All three children were killed when “one by one” when Clancy pulled on exercise bands around their necks “until their little bodies were limp and lifeless.”
Assistant DA Shanan (CQ) Buckingham makes the states opening argument.Greg Derr/The Patriot LedgerOpening statements are underway — 10:13 a.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
The prosecution will deliver its opening statements first, followed by the defense.
Judge warns jurors against outside coverage — 10:11 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Sullivan advised jurors not to discuss the case with anyone while it’s ongoing, adding that they’re barred from watching or reading news coverage of the proceedings.
“You must find the facts of this case based only on the evidence” presented in court, Sullivan said.
He also told the jury not to visit any places described in testimony, outside the formal crime scene view.
“We need to ensure that a fair and just trial” proceeds, Sullivan said.
He said jurors “are not sitting tomorrow.”
What is a first-degree murder charge? — 10:10 a.m.
By Sean Cotter, Globe staff
Lindsay Clancy is charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison.
As Judge Sullivan spoke to the jury at the start of the case, he noted that if the jury convicts, they must decide between first- or second-degree murder, which carries a charge of 15 years to life in prison.
Sullivan told the jury that a killing is elevated to first-degree murder if it’s done with “extreme atrocity or cruelty” or with “deliberate premeditation.” In this case, the Plymouth District Attorney’s office will be arguing both of those.
Ultimately, the jury won’t be deciding on that for weeks, until after they hear lengthy testimony.
“You must keep an open mind throughout this case,” Sullivan told the jurors.
Judge says jury must keep an open mind — 10:09 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Sullivan told jurors they must keep an open mind and not decide their verdict until “the entire case” is presented and deliberations start.
He said jurors can take notes if they wish.
“We can’t let you take them home,” Sullivan said. He said they’re stored securely every night and destroyed once the trial concludes.
Judge William Sullivan give directions to jury members before the opening of the trial.Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Sullivan told jurors that he will sometimes have to speak with the lawyers out of the earshot of the jury, which is called a sidebar.
“It can be annoying, I know that,” Sullivan said, adding that jurors can stand and stretch during sidebar conferences. “Don’t discuss with any other jurors” what’s happening during a sidebar conference.
Judge says jurors will view crime scene — 10:05 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Sullivan told jurors they will go on a view of the crime scene.
“Your function is to determine the facts in this case,” Sullivan said, adding that “you alone will determine whether to believe any witness, and what extent to which you do believe that witness. … I have no opinion as to what your verdict should be.”
Judge continues addressing jury — 10:03 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Judge Sullivan told jurors that Clancy has been charged with three counts of murder, and that the jury will decide whether she’s guilty of first-degree or second-degree murder, should the panel vote to convict.
He said a defendant “is not criminally responsible for her conduct if she has a mental disease or defect, and as a result of that disease or defect, lacks the substantial capacity either to appreciate the criminality or wrongfulness of her conduct, or to conform her conduct to the requirements of the law.”
Judge addresses jurors — 9:57 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Judge Sullivan told jurors the oath they took to serve is the same oath that’s been given in Massachusetts courthouses for centuries.
Sullivan said jurors “are not to draw any inference of guilt” from an indictment, as Clancy is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Media cameras wait for the arrival of Patrick Clancy at Plymouth Superior Court for the murder trial of his former wife, Lindsay Clancy, on Monday, July 27, 2026.Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffJudge polls jurors — 9:53 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Judge Sullivan began with routine questioning of the jurors to ensure they’ve avoided outside coverage of the case.
The clerk then swore them in to perform their duties.
By Travis Andersen and Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Judge William F. Sullivan called both sides to sidebar just after 9:30 a.m. He apologized for the delayed start which he attributed to technological issues.
Because of the sidebar, the Court TV cameraman is only able to film the courtroom seal.
After Sullivan greeted her from the bench, Clancy said “good morning, your honor.”
Media cameras wait for the arrival of Patrick Clancy at Plymouth Superior Court for the murder trial of his former wife, Lindsay Clancy, on Monday, July 27, 2026.Pat Greenhouse/Globe StaffLindsay Clancy arrives to court, judge takes bench — 9:31 a.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Lindsay Clancy, wearing a long sleeve pink blouse, was wheeled into court just before 9:30 a.m. in her wheelchair by a female court officer.
Three nurses who accompanied her are seated behind her in the front row of spectator section.Judge William F. Sullivan just took the bench.
Patrick Clancy arrives to court house — 9:30 a.m.
By Jenna Perlman, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, arrived at the court house around 9:20 a.m. Patrick is expected to be the first witness called Monday.
Lindsay Clancy trial: Patrick Clancy arrives to court house
Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, arrived at Plymouth Superior Court around 9:20 a.m. Patrick is expected to be the first witness called Monday. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff., Video by Jenna Perlman/Globe Staff.)
Courtroom packed ahead of trial’s start — 9:25 a.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
There are about a hundred people in the courtroom, including dozens of members of the media. Lindsay Clancy has not arrived.
Clancy’s parents arrived a few minutes ago and are seated in the second row with a young woman. The front row is reserved for the two nurses who will accompany Clancy to court each day.
Judge has barred media from posting audio of husband’s 911 call, autopsy photos of children — 8:35 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
The judge presiding over Clancy’s triple murder trial barred the media and the public from posting audio of her husband’s 911 call when he discovered their slain children, as well as autopsy photos of the victims.
Judge William F. Sullivan ruled that the media “shall not record, display, reproduce, distribute, or otherwise disseminate” the 911 recording and autopsy photos.
Sullivan issued his ruling in response to a motion from Clancy’s now-former husband, Patrick Clancy, who had sought the impoundment of the 911 audio and photos.
In addition to the press, Sullivan wrote, his order “shall apply” to the general public as well.
Patrick Clancy is expected to testify first — 8:15 a.m.
By Sean Cotter and Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
Patrick Clancy, former husband to Lindsay Clancy, is expected to testify as the first witness in his former wife’s murder trial.
Here’s some key things to know about him ahead of his testimony.
Here’s a look at the jury seated for the trial, and the process it took to select them — 8:00 a.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff
A jury of 12 women and six men — including six alternates — will decide Clancy’s fate.
Jury selection, which was held over four days, was completed last Thursday, but not without a setback earlier in the day. Two jurors, a man and a woman, who had been seated earlier, returned to court saying they couldn’t serve.
Their reasons for seeking removal weren’t publicly disclosed, but it appeared the man was concerned about the financial strain of missing work for a lengthy trial.
He could be overheard saying, “50 bucks a day,“ which is the amount of compensation the state pays a juror starting on the fourth day they serve on a jury. Employers are required to pay jurors their salary for the first three days they serve, according to the state’s website.
Lindsay Clancy case shows gaps mothers face in postpartum mental health care — 7:50 a.m.
By Sarah Rahal, Jason Laughlin, and Chloe Craft, Globe Staff
As jurors prepare to weigh whether Lindsay Clancy is guilty of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children, a second question hangs over her trial: Can women with severe postpartum mental health symptoms get the full range of care they need in Massachusetts?
She and her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, argue in separate lawsuits against her health care providers that she was misdiagnosed, shuffled among practitioners, and overmedicated with around a dozen different prescriptions, many of which made her symptoms worse.
If Clancy, a labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, could not find appropriate care, one might wonder, what are the odds of other moms, especially those less savvy about the medical system, getting the treatment they need?
Jurors underwent screening process that was unusual, intense, and personal — 7:40 a.m.
By Shelley Murphy, Travis Andersen, and Sean Cotter, Globe Staff
The questionnaire jurors had to complete included a flurry of questions aimed at weeding out those who could not fairly consider Clancy’s insanity defense or couldn’t be impartial because of strong opinions about mental health illnesses and treatment.
Their responses were confidential, but the questions nonetheless offer insight into the painstaking effort to give Clancy a fair trial.
They included whether a prospective juror had been diagnosed with postpartum depression, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or bipolar disorder, or whether a family member has.
They were also asked whether they or a family had an experience with the mental health system that would prevent them from being fair and impartial.
Superior Court Judge William Sullivan holds court during the jury selection in the triple murder trial of Lindsay Clancy who is charged in the 2023 killing of her three children, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass. Greg Derr/Greg Derr/Pool The Patriot Ledge
What to know about Lindsay Clancy’s triple murder case as the trial begins — 7:30 a.m.
By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Prosecutors allege that Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, with exercise bands in the basement of her home on Jan. 24, 2023, after sending her husband out to pick up a food order.
Authorities say she then cut her wrists and leapt from a second-story window in a failed attempt to end her own life. She remains paralyzed from the waist down.
Jury selection starts in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, Clancy is charged with killing her three children in their Duxbury Mass. home in 2023.Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger/Pool
Clancy has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, each of which carries a mandatory sentence upon conviction of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
She had pleaded not guilty to three additional counts of strangulation or suffocation, but prosecutors dropped those counts earlier this month, stating in court papers that they’ll “be subsumed into the murder charges” and are “therefore redundant.”
Clancy’s lawyer, Kevin J. Reddington, is not disputing that she killed her children but has said in court papers and legal filings that he plans to mount what’s commonly known as an insanity defense, asserting her mental state at the time rendered her unable to conform her behavior to the law.
Reddington has asserted that Clancy was battling postpartum issues and had been prescribed 13 different medications in the months leading up to the killings, a regimen that “caused homicidal ideation, suicidal ideation.”
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Shelley Murphy can be reached at shelley.murphy@globe.com. Follow her @shelleymurph. Sean Cotter can be reached at sean.cotter@globe.com. Follow him @cotterreporter. Hazel Nystrom can be reached at hazel.nystrom@globe.com.