Lindsay Clancy Jury Deadlock: How Long Could Deliberations Last?

POLICY WIRE — Boston, USA — On Tuesday, the jury in the Lindsay Clancy trial informed the judge that they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, declaring themselves deadlocked. This situation has raised questions about how long deliberations might continue if no consensus is reached.

Judge William Sullivan instructed the jurors to continue their discussions after receiving their note. They deliberated until approximately 3:30 p.m. before adjourning for the day without a verdict.

The phenomenon of a deadlocked jury is not new in Massachusetts, where several high-profile cases have seen similar outcomes. Notable examples include the trials of Karen Read in 2024 and Emanuel Lopes in 2023 and 2024.

Lopes, charged with the murder of Weymouth Police Sgt. Michael Chesna in 2018, faced two trials. His first trial in 2023 ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. In his second trial in 2024, the jury reported being deadlocked three times before reaching a guilty verdict after six days and 32 hours of deliberation.

Similarly, the jury in Karen Read’s first trial in 2024 was deadlocked, leading to a mistrial after five days and 27 hours of deliberation. Read was later acquitted following a second trial.

In both cases, the judges employed what is known as a “dynamite” charge, or the “Tuey-Rodriguez” instruction in Massachusetts, to encourage the juries to reach a verdict. This instruction emphasizes the importance of the jury’s role and the unlikelihood of a future jury being more competent.

If the jury in Clancy’s case remains deadlocked, Judge Sullivan has the discretion to declare a mistrial. Should this occur, Clancy would remain in custody at Tewksbury State Hospital under psychiatric care, and the Plymouth County district attorney, Timothy Cruz, would decide whether to retry her for first-degree murder, a lesser charge, or not at all.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)