Deliberating for more than 27 hours over five days, the jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial told Plymouth Superior Judge William Sullivan they remain deadlocked. The judge responded by issuing a final Tuey-Rodriguez instruction on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, in a last-resort effort to secure a verdict.
The nine women and three men weighing the case in Plymouth Superior Court sent a note on Wednesday afternoon around 2:15 p.m., stating that they could not reach a unanimous decision.
The Tuey-Rodriguez Instruction and Massachusetts Precedent
Facing the second deadlock note, Judge Sullivan read the panel what is formally known as the Tuey-Rodriguez instruction, a high-stakes directive (as detailed by Daily Mail). Often called the dynamite charge or a legal Hail Mary, the instruction reminds jurors of their duty to deliberate conscientiously and points out that a future panel would face the same evidence.
“There is no reason to suppose that the case will ever be submitted to 12 persons more intelligent, more impartial or more competent to decide it. Or that more or clear evidence will be produced.”
Judge William Sullivan, Plymouth Superior Court
Charges, Legal Options, and Defense Arguments
Lindsay Clancy is charged with first-degree murder in the January 24, 2023, deaths of her three children—5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan—at their Duxbury home. Jurors face five distinct paths for their verdict: first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, not guilty, or not guilty by reason of insanity.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued that his client lacked criminal responsibility because she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis when she strangled the children with exercise bands. Prosecutors maintained that Clancy planned the killings and understood right from wrong. Reddington also criticized Plymouth District Attorney Tim Cruz for pursuing first-degree murder charges, which mandated a jury trial rather than allowing for potential plea negotiations or a judge-decided bench trial.
Outside the Courtroom: Arrests and Protests
Courtroom drama spilled outside the Plymouth courthouse as well. Dawn Light, a 56-year-old retired nurse from Sutton, Massachusetts, was arraigned Wednesday on a charge of aggravated intimidation of jurors after police accused her of filming panel members as they left the building (noted by Daily Mail). Light entered a plea of not guilty and was released on a promise to return to court on October 15. Separately, activist Jake Lang staged a demonstration outside the courthouse on Wednesday carrying signs referencing the case and constitutional amendments.
What Lies Ahead for the Jury and the Case
If the 12 jurors fail to reach a unanimous decision after receiving the final instruction, Judge Sullivan will be forced to declare a mistrial. Legal analysts note the profound uncertainty inside the deliberation room. We really don't know what's going on in that jury room, and we don't know what they're grappling with,
said WBZ-TV legal analyst Jennifer Roman, suggesting the panel could be divided over specific charges versus an insanity defense.
If the jury ultimately convicts Clancy on any of the homicide counts, she faces a prison sentence. If they return a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, she will be ordered to continue her treatment at Tewksbury State Hospital under periodic judicial review.