Judge deciding how to transport Lindsay Clancy to murder trial
A Plymouth County Superior Court judge is mulling over how Lindsay Clancy, a Duxbury mother accused of killing her children during the throes of post-partum depression, will get to and from her murder trial.
Clancy allegedly strangled her three children and then tried to kill herself by jumping out a window in 2023, leaving her paralyzed from the sternum down. She is currently being held at Tewksbury State Hospital.
Her defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued in court that she needs special transportation and supervision on route to the courthouse, as well as accommodations while the case is argued.
“This case is going to be a logistical nightmare,” he told the court.
Citing a letter from Clancy’s physician’s assistant, Reddington explained that his client can’t use a handicapped bathroom on her own, has no control over her bodily functions, and would at times need a stretcher or gurney.
He also noted that Clancy’s suicidality means that she’s been under constant 24/7 watch. “She’s not a danger to others, that’s for sure,” Reddington said, although she is a danger to herself.
Reddington suggested that medical staff from Tewksbury rather than the County Sheriff’s Department should oversee her transport, and that Clancy’s PA suggested not one but two nurses be available on route.
“There’s a real probability,” Reddington said of the potential for Clancy to attempt or succeed in killing herself.
“It’s not on me,” he said, explaining that he was trying his best to make sure his client had the right supervision, telling the judge, “Unfortunately, it all lies on your table.”
Prosecutors said that they would accommodate Clancy to the best of their ability. Although an ambulance to and from the trial might be difficult, the Commonwealth said that they could rent medical equipment if they needed to.
“I don’t think there’s any need for the drama here,” prosecutor Jennifer Sprauge said.
Reddington clarified that Clancy wouldn’t need an ambulance.
Judge William Sullivan said that he would use the letter from Clancy’s clinician to draft an order on how the defendant will get to and from court and what she’ll need when she gets there.
“It’s going to require one more run,” he said, telling both parties that he would distribute the draft order, which they could discuss at a conference on Feb. 27.
At the conference, Sullivan said they would also discuss trial logistics, experts’ time tables, and any additional discovery.
The Commonwealth has experts that will soon start an examination of Clancy for competency to stand. Sprague estimated it could take three or four months.
“This is going to trial in July,” Sullivan said. “That’s a hard date.” The start of the proceedings had already been pushed back from February.
After the hearing and outside the courtroom, Reddington called Sullivan a thorough judge who was taking Clancy’s physical and mental condition seriously.
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Reddington said he hopes they may employ shorter days, maybe 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the trial starts, because his client will struggle with eight-hour days in her condition.
Admitting his own bias in the case, he said he would like to see the Commonwealth’s evaluation of Clancy show that she lacks criminal responsibility, avoiding the word insanity, although he doubted that would be the case.
“I hate the word insanity,” Reddington told the press, explaining that it evokes people running around the woods in white clothes, “it’s too 1800s.”
