The judge presiding over Lindsay Clancy's murder prosecution has extended an order sealing jurors' names and questionnaires, citing "significant and divisive" public attention and risk of harm. The order bars public access though attorneys may still seek records through the court and does not prevent jurors from volunteering information. A mistrial was declared on Sept. 4, 2026; Clancy has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder, while her defense cites postpartum psychosis.
Judge Extends Sealing Of Juror Questionnaires In Lindsay Clancy Murder Case
Greg Derr via Reuters - PHOTO: Lindsay Clancy looks on as Judge William Sullivan has declared a mistrial in Plymouth, Mass., Sept. 4, 2026.
Judge William Sullivan has extended an order keeping jurors' names and written questionnaires sealed in the high-profile murder prosecution of Lindsay Clancy, citing the "significant and divisive" public attention the case has attracted and the potential for harm to jurors and the integrity of the proceedings.
The order, signed Tuesday, blocks public access to the jury list and questionnaires. While attorneys on either side may still seek access through the court, the materials will not be released to the general public for now. Sullivan concluded the records are not a "public record" under Massachusetts law and said most jurors have chosen to remain anonymous.
"The Court concludes that there is a risk of immediate and irreparable injury should the [records] be made available to the public at this time," Sullivan wrote, adding there is a "real and present risk of [personal] harm to the jurors [and] to the integrity of their service."
The impoundment remains in place "until and unless otherwise instructed by the court," according to the order. The extension does not automatically prevent the defense from investigating a holdout juror, nor does it stop jurors from voluntarily coming forward.
Background
Sullivan declared a mistrial on Sept. 4, 2026, after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Clancy, a former nurse, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the deaths of her children—5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and infant Callan—whose deaths prosecutors say were homicides by strangulation at the family's home in Duxbury on Jan. 24, 2023.
Prosecutors maintain Clancy was criminally responsible and capable of understanding her actions. The defense contends she was suffering from postpartum psychosis—a psychiatric emergency, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists—and says she was overmedicated when she killed her children and attempted suicide that same night. The suicide attempt left her paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, prosecutors say.
Ongoing Legal Issues
Separately, Clancy's defense has filed motions arguing double jeopardy principles should lead to dismissal of the charges; that argument is part of broader litigation but is not directly resolved by the impoundment order. The judge's sealing decision emphasizes safeguarding jurors from public exposure and protecting the trial process amid intense media scrutiny.
What This Means: The impoundment preserves juror anonymity and limits public scrutiny of jury selection records while court proceedings and related legal challenges continue.
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