Commonwealth v. Clancy, August 6, 2026: Kimberly Springer, Lindsay Rosshirt, Susan Fraone, Susan Bertolo

Commonwealth v. Clancy, August 6, 2026

ThursdayreportedcommonwealthDay 8 of 28

Eleven witnesses, Commonwealth numbers 46 through 56. The morning opens with the autopsy of the youngest child and closes the Commonwealth's death evidence for him; the rest of the day is the people who saw the family from the outside — a pediatrician, three preschool teachers, a nursing colleague, two friends, the father-in-law, a family friend — and every one of them says she looked like a good mother.

After the jury goes home the lawyers argue the defense's three late expert witnesses.

Key points

THE SHAPE OF THE DAY. Eleven witnesses, Commonwealth numbers 46 through 56 by East Idaho News's count. The Commonwealth closed its death evidence for Callan in the first twenty minutes and spent the remaining five hours on the people who saw the family from the outside. Not one of those ten lay and treating witnesses was asked to say anything bad about her, and not one did.
THE COMMONWEALTH'S POINT, AND WHAT IT COSTS. The purpose of the lay testimony is that she looked normal: appropriate at the pediatrician's on the morning of the killings, fine at Thanksgiving, engaged at a birthday party three weeks before. That is the answer to a psychosis defense. The price is that the Commonwealth's own witnesses spent the day calling her a loving, protective, nurturing mother, and the defense did not have to work for any of it.
NOBODY HEARD HER SAY IT. No witness on this date reported the defendant expressing suicidal or homicidal thoughts, hearing voices or describing intrusive thoughts (Boston Globe, NBC Boston). The point cuts both ways and is the reason the day matters: it is the Commonwealth's evidence that there was no psychosis to see, and the defense's evidence that no one around her knew what was happening.
THE PEDIATRICIAN DID NOT KNOW WHAT SHE WAS NOT SEEING. Rosshirt told the jury she never saw signs of postpartum illness and never felt the need to refer the defendant to postpartum services. On cross she agreed she had not known the defendant was under a psychiatrist's care from October or that she had been prescribed medication (East Idaho News). Her observation on January 24 is the observation of a clinician with no reason to look.
THE FACEBOOK POST IS THE ONLY DOCUMENT OF RESENTMENT THE COMMONWEALTH PUT IN ON THIS DATE, AND IT IS OLD. Exhibit 217 was written in May 2021, twenty months before the killings, about a nineteen-month-old Dawson, and asks a parenting group for advice and solidarity. The detective who produced it agreed on cross that he found nothing suggesting she had been abusive to her children.
THE SURVEILLANCE TIMES MATCH THIS FILE'S JANUARY 24 TIMELINE. Chiachio put Patrick Clancy inside the Kingston CVS from 17:32 to 17:38, and the Boston Globe reports the ThreeV video showing him entering at 5:54 p.m. and leaving about a minute later. The reference timeline already carries Patrick's 17:33 call from the CVS, Exhibit 30's 17:54:15 restaurant entry, and flight-climb registrations at 17:33:34 and 17:38:33 — both of which fall inside the six minutes the surveillance places him in the store. Recorded as a correspondence between two records, not as a finding about anything.
NO CROSS-EXAMINATION AT ALL of the medical examiner, Bertolo, Williams or Carney. With the acts stipulated, the defense left the death evidence and the neutral character evidence alone and spent its questions on medication, sleep and who knew what.
THE MIRALAX SEARCH IS ACCOUNTED FOR, as this file already records: Rosshirt recommended it at Cora's five-year check on the morning of January 24 and asked to see her again in two weeks.
THE EXPERT-WITNESS MOTION ARGUED HERE IS THE ONE DECIDED ON AUGUST 10. This is the first date on which any outlet read records the substance of the defense application to call Dr. Elizabeth Laposata, Dr. Michael Vulfovich and Dr. Donald Condie. Judge Sullivan heard it at three o'clock, said he was inclined to allow an opinion that she landed on her head and not inclined to allow an opinion that her injuries amounted to a suicide attempt, and said he would rule in the morning. East Idaho News records him still preparing to rule on August 7 and the written ruling did not land until August 10.
LEXAPRO, ON ONE OUTLET AND ONLY ON CROSS. East Idaho News records Bevins recalling, in answer to Reddington, a conversation with state police about the defendant's experience with Lexapro. No escitalopram appears anywhere in the prescriber record or the toxicology as compiled in this project. Recorded as reported, not resolved.

Witnesses (11)

Kimberly SpringerCommonwealth09:27

Medical examiner, Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 46. Outlets spell the first name Kimberly and Kimberley.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: None. She stepped down without cross-examination (Boston Globe, East Idaho News).

THE AUTOPSY. She performed the autopsy on Callan Clancy on January 29, 2023 (East Idaho News).
WHAT WAS STILL ON THE BODY. She described the therapeutic apparatus in place when she received him — a thermometer in a nostril, tubes, intravascular catheters in the hands and a foot, and needle marks. She measured him at 26 inches and 24 pounds and noted generalized edema, a buildup of fluid (East Idaho News).
THE INJURIES. Abrasions on the left and front of the neck and on the forehead; petechial hemorrhages on the face and eyelids; some fresh scabbing on the head (East Idaho News). An ABC affiliate summarizes the same evidence as abrasions to the neck and head with evidence of hemorrhaging.
THE MECHANISM. She found the death consistent with ligature strangulation (East Idaho News, CBS Boston).
THE CAUSE OF DEATH. Complications of mechanical asphyxia. She explained the word complications: he had a heartbeat from January 24 to January 27, so death followed the incident by days (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
SHE WAS NOT CROSS-EXAMINED. The Boston Globe records her stepping down without cross-examination; East Idaho News records no cross. The defense had stipulated to the acts on August 4.
WHAT THE ROOM DID. The defendant wept with her head bowed into her hands, shoulders shaking, and did not look at the photographs; two jurors wiped tears as they viewed them (Boston Globe); Boston 25 records one juror wiping her face with a tissue and describes the defendant as inconsolable when the judge broke.

Lindsay RosshirtCommonwealth10:14

Lead pediatrician for the Clancy children since 2019, South Shore Medical. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 47.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: Reddington

THE CHILDREN WERE HEALTHY. Callan had no health issues; Dawson had a documented peanut allergy; Boston 25 adds that Cora had asthma and that both conditions were controlled. Asked about Callan having trouble taking a bottle, she could not remember the defendant raising it (East Idaho News).
THE MORNING OF JANUARY 24, 2023. She saw Cora for a five-year well-child check. She recalled it as a very normal visit, Cora as perfectly well behaved, and the mother's behavior as appropriate, with no tears and no flat affect (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).
WHY MIRALAX. They discussed the belly pain Cora had been having. Constipation is common at that age; she recommended MiraLAX and asked to see Cora again in two weeks (East Idaho News). The Boston Globe renders it as a children's laxative for suspected constipation.
SHE SAW NO POSTPARTUM ILLNESS. She did not remember seeing symptoms of postpartum depression in her dealings with the defendant, and told the Commonwealth she never felt the need to refer her to postpartum services (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).
ON CROSS, THE ATTENDANCE RECORD. She saw the children from 2019 to 2023. The defendant came to essentially every other visit and was at most of them; both parents came together for one of Cora's checkups. The children appeared healthy and happy (East Idaho News).
ON CROSS, MATERIAL AGAINST THE SIDE THAT CALLED HER. Reddington asked whether the defendant had ever complained about the children; she answered that she did not remember any such complaint, and said she had always thought her a good mom (East Idaho News). Boston 25 renders the same exchange as a question about whether the children were a pain or a source of aggravation, answered no.
ON CROSS, WHAT SHE DID NOT KNOW. She did not know that the defendant had been seeing a psychiatrist since October 2022, and did not know she had been prescribed medication (East Idaho News).

Susan FraoneCommonwealth10:32

Preschool and daycare teacher, Learning Sprouts; taught Dawson and knew Cora. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 48. Boston 25's live blog renders the surname Freone.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: Reddington

WHO SHE TAUGHT. Dawson, from September to November 2022; Cora was also at the school (East Idaho News).
THE DROP-OFFS. From mid-October 2022 Dawson began having harder drop-offs — clingy and crying, in Boston 25's rendering — though some days were better than others (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
THE CONVERSATION WITH THE MOTHER. She spoke to the defendant about it around Thanksgiving 2022; Boston 25 places the conversation in late November. The defendant's demeanor was fine, and she said nothing about insomnia or about not feeling well (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
ON CROSS. Difficult drop-offs happen; the Boston Globe records her agreeing that children commonly go through it. At some point she was seeing Patrick Clancy at drop-off more often than the defendant. Both children appeared healthy and well (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).

Susan BertoloCommonwealth10:38

Preschool teacher, formerly of Learning Sprouts; taught three- to five-year-olds including Cora. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 49.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: None reported. East Idaho News records no cross by the defense.

WHO SHE TAUGHT. Cora, from September 2022, three days a week. Both parents did drop-offs; she recalls seeing Patrick Clancy more. She described Cora as amazing and ready for kindergarten (East Idaho News).
THE DAY BEFORE THE KILLINGS. On January 23, 2023 Cora needed the bathroom more often than normal. Bertolo told the defendant at pickup; the defendant said Cora had a doctor's appointment the next day. The Boston Globe records the defendant as already aware of the problem. Bertolo could not recall who had dropped Cora off that morning and noticed nothing different about the defendant (East Idaho News, Boston Globe, Boston 25).
CORA MISSED HER MOTHER. Cora told her that her mother was in the hospital and that she missed her. WHEN IS REPORTED THREE WAYS: Boston 25 places the remark at the end of December or the beginning of January and the McLean admission in early January 2023; CBS Boston dates the hospitalization to December 2022; East Idaho News gives no date at all. This file's treatment chronology puts the McLean inpatient admission in the first days of January 2023. See the bertolo-hospital-date entry in the evidence file.
SHE HAD NO CONCERNS. The Boston Globe records her saying she never had concerns about the family.

Stephanie WilliamsCommonwealth10:48

Pre-kindergarten teacher, Learning Sprouts; taught the Sweet Pea class. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 50.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: None reported. East Idaho News records no cross by the defense.

THE CLASSROOM. The Sweet Pea class was more recreational than the activities in the Sunflower room; the afternoon class ran until four o'clock, when parents collected the children. She taught Cora at three and had her again from September 2022 to January 2023 (East Idaho News).
WHO CORA WAS. A sweet girl who loved her little brother, loved to draw and loved Princess Sophia (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
THE DAY BEFORE THE KILLINGS. On January 23, 2023 Cora was unwell and said her tummy hurt, and was still on her cot at pickup. Williams told the defendant, who came in, lifted Cora off the cot and said they would collect Dawson and go home (East Idaho News, Boston Globe, Boston 25).
HOW SHE DESCRIBED THE MOTHER. A loving mother who cared about her children. She noticed nothing different about her that day (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).

Andrea HenniganCommonwealth10:57

Registered nurse, labor and delivery, Massachusetts General Hospital; worked alongside the defendant for seven years. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 51.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: Reddington

THE FRIENDSHIP. Seven years together on the labor and delivery unit, socializing occasionally outside work. After Callan was born in May 2022 she saw the defendant twice: in June, when she brought lunch and stayed two hours and the defendant seemed very good, and in November (East Idaho News). Boston 25 and this file previously carried only the November lunch.
THE NOVEMBER LUNCH. The defendant said she did not feel ready to go back to work and take care of patients. She talked about insomnia, about not feeling herself, and used the phrase brain fog; the Boston Globe adds anxiety. They had no difficulty understanding each other (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).
WHAT HER FRIENDS DID. They were all encouraging her to get help, including therapists and medication; they spoke briefly about her meeting a therapist. Hennigan consulted a friend who had had difficulties after a miscarriage and sent the defendant the names of professionals (East Idaho News).
SHE WAS NOT WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY. She said she had no concern that the defendant would harm herself or her children (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
JANUARY 2, 2023. The defendant messaged asking about the holidays and wanting to get together, but said she was in an intense program and could not (East Idaho News).
JANUARY 23, 2023, THE DAY BEFORE. Hennigan texted to ask how she was. The defendant said she was no longer in the program, that she was continuing to work with a psychiatrist and that she was having a bad reaction to some medication. The Boston Globe renders it as still working with a psychiatrist to find the right medication to help her sleep. Her tone was hopeful and consistent with their earlier exchanges (East Idaho News, Boston Globe, Boston 25).
ON CROSS, THE NURSE. They became friends when the defendant graduated from nursing school, which was a second degree for her. She loved being a nurse and was excellent at it, attentive to all her patients, and — in the phrase Reddington drew out — incredibly nurturing and caring (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
ON CROSS, THE WORDS SHE USED. Reddington put it to her that at a fall 2022 lunch the defendant said she was going through a difficult state; Hennigan said she definitely used those words, and definitely said she was in a difficult mental state and could not go back to work. They talked about therapy and about an emergency room visit; the defendant did not elaborate on side effects (East Idaho News).
ON CROSS, MATERIAL AGAINST THE SIDE THAT CALLED HER. On night shifts Hennigan saw her check her phone for her children. From the time they met she very much wanted children and a family. Asked by Reddington whether she had ever heard the defendant complain of wanting to leave behind the life she had, Hennigan answered that the defendant had always wanted to be a mother and have a family and was happy to have children close in age (Boston 25, East Idaho News). The Boston Globe records her impression that the defendant was always trying to get help for her problems.

Bethany DeCollibusCommonwealth11:17

Licensed marriage and family therapist; friend of the defendant. East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 52 and renders the surname Decollibus.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: Reddington

HOW THEY KNEW EACH OTHER. They met as new mothers in Duxbury; their children were in similar activities and she saw the defendant weekly (East Idaho News).
THE BASELINE. The defendant's typical manner was active, engaged and friendly. DeCollibus saw no change in behavior, but she was more tired after Callan's birth (East Idaho News).
THE SLEEP. For a period the sleep trouble seemed normal. She became more concerned over time because it was not improving. The defendant told her she was seeking therapy and help from doctors and had found a therapist to work with (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).
NOVEMBER 2022 DINNER. DeCollibus had dinner with the defendant and a friend named Erin and asked about her sleep. The answers made sense. There was no mention of suicidal or homicidal thoughts. She was engaged and hopeful that things would get better, though she said she was anxious (East Idaho News).
CORA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, JANUARY 2023. She asked about the sleep again. The defendant said things had not got better and that she felt like a zombie. DeCollibus said she looked tired but did not look like a zombie, and that she was able to engage with the children and the other parents at the party (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
WHAT SHE NEVER HEARD. The defendant never told her she had suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming anyone; the Boston Globe adds that she never said she was depressed and never reported hearing voices or having intrusive thoughts (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).
ON CROSS. She had not probed the defendant about symptoms, though the defendant did say she was having difficulties. The defendant loved her children and was warm and loving; she was not a complainer; she never complained about Patrick Clancy, and the Boston Globe records DeCollibus saying the two seemed to be getting along well. She loved her job as a nurse. DeCollibus agreed she was concerned about the defendant's difficulty sleeping (East Idaho News, Boston 25, Boston Globe).

Amy BevinsCommonwealth12:09

Childhood friend of about twenty-nine years; licensed behavior analyst, working mainly in early intervention with young children with autism (NBC Boston). East Idaho News numbers her Commonwealth witness 53.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined her. Cross: Reddington

THE FRIENDSHIP. They stayed in touch through nursing school and texted frequently, right through January 2023. She described the defendant as calm and nice. She does not recall whether the defendant struggled with anxiety or took medication during nursing school (East Idaho News).
THE THIRD CHILD. The defendant told her Dawson's delivery had been more difficult than Cora's and that she would need time before a third child. Nothing in her behavior at the time raised concern (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
NOVEMBER 2022 IN CONNECTICUT. A group breakfast; the defendant came alone; Bevins noticed nothing atypical about her behavior or demeanor (Boston 25, East Idaho News). East Idaho News's live blog gives the year as 2023, which cannot be right; Boston 25 and this file's account put it in November 2022.
THE TEXT ABOUT DARK THOUGHTS. A few days before the children were killed the defendant told her by text that a medication had caused her to have dark thoughts and that she was being weaned off it and trying new ones. Bevins said the tone of the exchange was hopeful and that things seemed to be moving in a positive direction. The defendant did not tell her she was having thoughts of harming her children or herself. On cross she placed the exchange toward the end of January (East Idaho News, NBC Boston, Boston Globe, Boston 25).
WHEN THAT WAS SAID IS REPORTED TWO WAYS. Boston 25, the Boston Globe, NBC Boston and East Idaho News all place it in a text before the killings. turnto10 reports the dark-thoughts remark as something said during the March 2023 rehabilitation visit. Recorded both ways; see the bevins-dark-thoughts-when entry in the evidence file.
THE MARCH 2023 VISIT. She visited the defendant after the killings — CBS Boston and NBC Boston place it at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. It lasted thirty to forty-five minutes; they made small talk and played Uno; the defendant asked about Bevins's daughter, about their friends and about hobbies. She did not mention her children and did not break down about them. Her affect was neutral (East Idaho News, CBS Boston, NBC Boston, Boston Globe).
ON CROSS, MATERIAL AGAINST THE SIDE THAT CALLED HER. Twenty-nine years of friendship; she knew her as a good person, a good friend and a good mom, and never saw anything out of the ordinary (East Idaho News, Boston Globe).
ON CROSS, THE AWKWARDNESS OF THE VISIT. Reddington asked whether she had asked why the defendant was in a wheelchair; she had not. Asked whether she knew the defendant had killed her children, she said yes, that it was awkward and would be for anyone, that she had been told not to bring it up, and that she took that to be the recommendation of the defendant's health providers. Boston 25 records the instruction as coming from the defendant's sister (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
ON CROSS, LEXAPRO. Asked whether she had been questioned by state police in January 2023, she could not remember when the conversation happened but recalled discussing the defendant's experience with Lexapro (East Idaho News, single outlet). No escitalopram appears in the prescriber record or the toxicology as compiled in this project.

Christopher ClancyCommonwealth12:30

Father-in-law of the defendant; father of Patrick Clancy. East Idaho News numbers him Commonwealth witness 54 and gives the name as Christopher W. Clancy.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined him. Cross: Reddington

HOW HE KNEW HER. He met the defendant before she married his son. Watching her with Callan, he said she was very mothering. Asked by the prosecutor whether she was protective, he said yes, like any mother would be (East Idaho News).
THANKSGIVING 2022. Her demeanor: she seemed quiet. She was close with her sisters-in-law. At dinner she was getting frustrated with Dawson, who was being silly about being seated, so he got up to help; she took the boy by the arm and guided him to his chair (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
THE STARE. Boston 25 records him saying that at Thanksgiving she at times had a blank stare. NBC Boston renders the same evidence as a stare, not totally interacting, almost like nervous. East Idaho News records him saying that at times she seemed quiet and nervous.
DECEMBER AND CHRISTMAS. He visited the house in December, when her parents were there, and knew she had struggles. He stopped by the night before Christmas: her demeanor was OK, she was in good spirits and they made plans for Mass. He stopped at the house again before Mass, said she looked beautiful and the children were well behaved, and spoke to her outside the church, where she said she was happy she had gone (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
THE OFFER OF RESPITE, DECLINED. Aware of her struggles, he and his wife offered Patrick that they take the children; Patrick declined (East Idaho News, Boston 25, NBC Boston).
JANUARY 24, 2023. He did not go to Cora's birthday party and had no plans to see the family that day; he was invited to the house but they had other plans. That night Patrick called him about the deaths — it was terrible — and he and his wife went to the hospital to be with him (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
ON CROSS, THE MOTHER SHE WAS. Asked his opinion of her as a mother, he said she was very good, that she fed them well and did a lot of things with them, and that they were the all-American family (East Idaho News, Boston 25, Boston Globe).
ON CROSS, THE SIDEBAR. When Reddington asked him to say what the struggles were, the Commonwealth asked for a sidebar. The cross resumed a few minutes later (East Idaho News).
ON CROSS, MATERIAL AGAINST THE SIDE THAT CALLED HIM. He knew she was having a hard time sleeping and that she had gone to the emergency room; Boston 25 records him adding that she went to the South Shore emergency department while his wife, a labor and delivery nurse, was working. She confided in his wife, and his wife referred her to someone — the Boston Globe reports the referral as someone at South Shore Hospital. His own relationship with the defendant was very good. Asked directly whether she had been abusive with Dawson, he said no. He agreed that both sets of in-laws were pulling together to help the young couple, that his son was very concerned about his wife, and that his son confided in him (East Idaho News, Boston 25, Boston Globe).

Kyle CarneyCommonwealth14:19

College friend of Patrick Clancy; Duxbury resident. East Idaho News numbers him Commonwealth witness 55.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined him. Cross: None reported. East Idaho News records no cross by the defense.

HOW OFTEN HE SAW THEM. Every other month; after Callan was born there were beach dinners and gatherings about once a month. From the fall of 2022 into the beginning of 2023 he saw Patrick Clancy about monthly (East Idaho News).
HER USUAL MANNER. Kind and caring. He saw no change in her behavior after Cora's or Dawson's births (East Idaho News).
JANUARY 22, 2023, TWO DAYS BEFORE. The family came to his house; Callan stayed with the defendant's parents. Boston 25 records him saying it was a nice day, that he had a fire going to burn brush and wanted to get the children outside. Her demeanor was quieter than normal; he talked with her in the kitchen and her behavior and demeanor appeared normal (East Idaho News, Boston 25). One aggregator renders the day as an ordinary good day.

Andrew ChiachioCommonwealth14:27

Detective Sergeant, Massachusetts State Police, assigned to the Plymouth District Attorney's office. East Idaho News numbers him Commonwealth witness 56.

Direct: Not reported which prosecutor examined him. Cross: Reddington

THE CVS VIDEO. He was tasked with going to the CVS Pharmacy in Kingston for the surveillance video. It shows Patrick Clancy arriving at 17:32 and leaving the store at 17:38 on January 24, 2023 (East Idaho News).
THE RESTAURANT VIDEO. He obtained the surveillance from ThreeV. The Boston Globe reports the video showing Patrick Clancy entering the restaurant at 5:54 p.m. to collect takeout and leaving about a minute later.
THE ROUTE. He mapped the locations Patrick Clancy traveled that night on his own iPhone, to get, as he put it, a general idea of how long the journey took. The Boston Globe sets out the Commonwealth's purpose: that the defendant sent her husband out for takeout and to the pharmacy to give herself the time (Boston Globe, East Idaho News, Boston 25).
WHO HE INTERVIEWED. The defendant's mother and the manager of the CVS (East Idaho News).
THE SECOND SEARCH WARRANT. In June he applied for a warrant after noticing blood stains on the outside of the house in photographs; swabs and shingles were collected from the home. Boston 25 dates the return to the house June 12, 2023 (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
THE DNA SAMPLE. On May 15, 2024 he went to the state hospital to collect a DNA sample from the defendant. Boston 25 names it Tewksbury State Hospital (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
THE FACEBOOK WARRANT. He obtained data from the Facebook page in the defendant's name and found a group called Parenting for Littles with a post she had written (East Idaho News, Boston 25).
EXHIBIT 217, THE POST ITSELF. Written in May 2021, when Dawson was nineteen months old. Summarized: she asks the group for advice and solidarity, says she is finding him the most difficult and is frustrated with him, that everything is a battle and has been for a while — getting out of the crib, changing a diaper, getting in and out of the car seat, going to sleep — and that he fights her every step of the way, so that she feels she has to force him through ordinary things. Boston 25 renders one line as the battle having gone on since he was eight months old; CBS Boston renders the opening as her finding him the most difficult human she has ever encountered. Entered as Exhibit 217 (East Idaho News, CBS Boston, Boston 25, NBC Boston).
WHAT HE DID NOT FIND. On direct he said he found nothing suggesting the defendant had been abusive toward Dawson (East Idaho News).
ON CROSS, MATERIAL AGAINST THE SIDE THAT CALLED HIM. Reddington had him verify that the post was made in May 2021 when the boy was nineteen months old, and had him confirm again that he found nothing suggesting she had been abusive toward her son. Boston 25 records the exchange as Reddington putting it that he must have searched everything to find that she was abusive to her children, the detective agreeing, and then the flat answer that he found nothing (East Idaho News, Boston 25, Boston Globe).

Exhibits and evidence

Autopsy photographs of Callan Clancy, displayed on the jurors' individual screens with the public monitor switched off, and admitted over a defense objection. No exhibit number reported.
Exhibit 217: the defendant's May 2021 post in the Facebook group Parenting for Littles, about Dawson at nineteen months. The number comes from East Idaho News.
CVS Pharmacy, Kingston, surveillance video of January 24, 2023, showing Patrick Clancy in the store from 17:32 to 17:38. No exhibit number reported on this date; this file's exhibit index puts the CVS receipt and video and the ThreeV video and receipt at 26-31.
ThreeV restaurant surveillance video of January 24, 2023, showing Patrick Clancy entering at about 5:54 p.m. (Boston Globe). No exhibit number reported on this date; the reference timeline cites Exhibit 30 for the 17:54:15 entry.
Facebook records for the account in the defendant's name, obtained by search warrant. No exhibit number reported.

Rulings and objections

09:26DEFENSE OBJECTION BEFORE THE MEDICAL EXAMINER TESTIFIED. ARGUED: East Idaho News records the defense lodging an objection before Dr. Springer took the stand and reports no stated ground. RULED: not reported; the testimony went ahead. East Idaho News alone.
09:44AUTOPSY PHOTOGRAPHS ADMITTED OVER OBJECTION. ARGUED: the defense objected to the admission of the autopsy photographs of Callan Clancy; no outlet read records the stated ground or any argument from the Commonwealth. RULED: admitted. East Idaho News alone; Boston 25 and the Boston Globe describe the photographs being shown without reporting the objection.
15:10DEFENSE MOTION TO CALL THREE MEDICAL EXPERTS, TAKEN UNDER ADVISEMENT. Heard after the jury had gone. FOR: Kevin Reddington argued he should be allowed to call three experts - a psychiatrist, a pathologist and an emergency-room doctor - to answer the Commonwealth's evidence about the care the defendant received. The Boston Globe names them as Dr. Elizabeth Laposata, Dr. Michael Vulfovich and Dr. Donald Condie, and reports Reddington arguing they went to the genuineness of the suicide attempt: that she dove from the window and hit her head, with the spinal injury compared to Christopher Reeve's fall from a horse. AGAINST: the prosecutors opposed, saying the experts were late disclosures and that they had not had time to prepare to cross-examine them. THE COURT: Judge Sullivan said he was inclined to allow a defense witness to give the opinion that she landed on her head, and not inclined to allow a defense expert to opine that her injuries amounted to a suicide attempt. He said he would issue a final ruling in the morning, and the court recessed until nine o'clock Friday. THE RULING DID NOT COME IN THE MORNING: East Idaho News records the judge still preparing to rule at 8:52 on August 7, and the written ruling allowing the witnesses is reported on August 10. East Idaho News, Boston Globe, boston.com.

Procedural

09:23Court came into session after a lengthy sidebar. Boston 25's reporter arrived at 9:22 with the sidebar in progress. No outlet read records what was discussed. East Idaho News, Boston 25.
09:27Dr. Kimberly Springer called as the Commonwealth's first witness of the day, its witness 46. East Idaho News timestamps it 9:27, Boston 25 9:26.
09:30THE JUDGE WARNED THE JURY BEFORE THE PHOTOGRAPHS. East Idaho News records Judge Sullivan interrupting the testimony to remind the jury about the potential for an emotional reaction to the unpleasant nature of the photographs and testimony they were about to see; the Boston Globe reports him telling jurors, before the photographs went on the monitors, that they cannot decide the case on emotion. The photographs went to the jurors' individual screens and the public monitor was switched off. Time approximate, placed between the 9:27 call and the 9:34 display. East Idaho News, Boston Globe, Boston 25.
09:50UNSCHEDULED RECESS. With the defendant's sobbing audible, the judge called a break. East Idaho News places it immediately after the 9:44 cause-of-death testimony; Boston 25 timestamps it 9:50 and describes her as inconsolable. Boston 25, East Idaho News, East Idaho News's filed recap.
10:13Court back in session; the defendant returned wearing glasses and had regained her composure. East Idaho News timestamps the resumption 10:13, Boston 25 10:15.
11:31Morning recess, announced by Boston 25 as about twenty minutes. It ran longer: East Idaho News records court coming back only at 12:06, and the lawyers still at sidebar when it did. Boston 25 timestamps the break 11:31 in one entry and 11:32 in another.
12:06Court resumed after the recess with the attorneys continuing at sidebar. No outlet read records what was discussed. East Idaho News.
12:43SIDEBAR AT THE COMMONWEALTH'S REQUEST during Reddington's cross-examination of Christopher Clancy, immediately after Reddington asked the witness to say what the defendant's struggles were. No outlet read records what was said or how it was resolved; the cross-examination resumed at about 12:47 with Reddington putting the sleeplessness, the emergency-room visit and the wife's referral. East Idaho News.
12:51Recess for lunch until two o'clock. East Idaho News timestamps it 12:51, Boston 25 12:50.
14:19Court back in session. East Idaho News timestamps it 14:19, Boston 25 14:20.
14:43JURY EXCUSED FOR THE DAY, AND SCHEDULING FROM THE BENCH. Judge Sullivan excused the jury for the rest of the afternoon, told them he had something to discuss with the lawyers and assured them the trial was on schedule if not ahead of it. East Idaho News timestamps it 14:43, Boston 25 14:41, boston.com about 14:45.
14:45Recess until three o'clock, when the court would return to hear the defense motion to call certain witnesses. East Idaho News.

Sourcesb25-day8 boston-friends globe-day-08 cbs-day-08 eastidaho-day-08 eastidaho-day-08-recap eastidaho-day-08-sobs nbc-day-08 turnto10-day-08 abcnews4-day-08 littlethings-day-08

◀ August 5, 2026 Open in the index August 7, 2026 ▶