Commonwealth v. Clancy, August 12, 2026: Daniel Lawlor, Latiesha Dukes, Cameron Daley, Nicole Bradley

Commonwealth v. Clancy, August 12, 2026

WednesdayreportedcommonwealthDay 12 of 28

Six witnesses: the State Police evidence officer and a contested voir dire over the defense psychologist, the counselor who saw the defendant four times in December, two hospital guards, and the two medical examiners on Cora and Dawson.

Key points

THIS ENTRY PREVIOUSLY CARRIED TWO WITNESSES WHO DID NOT TESTIFY ON THIS DATE. Before this backfill the August 12 entry listed Dr. Kimberley Springer on Callan's autopsy and Rebecca Jollotta on medication complaints. Six outlets' coverage of August 12 has now been read in full — the Boston Globe, Boston 25, boston.com, CBS Boston, East Idaho News and the Patriot Ledger — and none of them places either witness on the stand on this date. Springer's evidence on Callan is recorded on August 6 and East Idaho News's witness numbering for August 12 runs 63 to 68 with no gap for her. Jollotta finished on August 11. The likeliest source of the error is identified: the PBS NewsHour piece cited by the old entry is dated August 12 but reports Jollotta's August 11 testimony, and it has been dropped from this day's sources. See the jollotta-testimony-end entry in the evidence file.
WHAT CUTS AGAINST THE COMMONWEALTH, FROM ITS OWN WITNESSES. Dukes, called by the prosecution, agreed on cross that she never read the notes of the two nurse practitioners treating the same patient in the same program in the same weeks; that she did not know why Women and Infants Hospital had declined the defendant; that she did not know Women and Infants had tried to reach Jollotta about the medications and got no answer; that the defendant met almost every symptom on the standard postpartum depression list; and that the defendant was sincere, hurting and turning in every direction she could for help. Lawlor, also a Commonwealth witness, told the jury there was no investigative basis for the theory that the defense psychologist planted the idea of hearing voices.
WHAT CUTS AGAINST THE DEFENSE, FROM THE SAME WITNESS. Dukes saw the defendant four times in December 2022 and told the jury she observed no mania, no delusions, no paranoia and no psychosis at any of them; that the suicidal ideation was passive and never accompanied by a plan; that she never had a concern for the defendant's safety or anyone else's; that she never needed a safety plan or a Section 12; and that by the last visit the defendant was sleeping better, exercising, spending time with family and able to smile and laugh. That is the second Commonwealth clinician in two days to tell the jury she saw no psychosis. The counterweight is the same as with Jollotta: her last contact was December 27, 2022, and she saw nothing at all in January.
THE PROSECUTION'S OWN THEORY ABOUT THE VOICES WAS PUT BEFORE THE JURY BY THE DEFENSE, AND DISOWNED. Six days before Dr. Paul Zeizel testified, Reddington used a State Police sergeant to get the theory that Zeizel coached the defendant into claiming she heard voices in front of the jury and then to have it called speculation with no investigative basis. The Commonwealth objected, the jury was sent out for a voir dire, and the material came back in a narrowed form aimed at Trooper Joshua McKelligan rather than at the prosecutors. This is the earliest appearance in the trial record of the coaching theory, and it is the Commonwealth's own investigator disclaiming it. See the command-hallucination thread in the evidence file.
THE VOIR DIRE CARRIED MORE THAN THE JURY HEARD. Out of the jury's presence, Boston 25 and East Idaho News report testimony that the defendant used the psychologist's cell phone at the hospital to call Patrick Clancy and told him she heard voices on the night of the killings, and that Patrick Clancy reported that call to the State Police and to the grand jury. Lawlor was in the hallway and heard none of it. A researcher tracing the voice-hearing account backward should note that this is where it first surfaces in the trial, on a day when the jury was out of the room for it.
NO RULING WAS ANNOUNCED ON THE ZEIZEL LINE OF QUESTIONING. East Idaho News reports Judge Sullivan taking a ten-minute break to rule on it; the Boston Globe records at about 10:37 that he had not announced a ruling; and no outlet read reports one afterward. What is reported is that the questioning resumed before the jury in a narrower form. The narrowing is inferred from the shape of the questions, not from any ruling on the record, and is not recorded here as a ruling.
THE OVER-MEDICATION THREAD PICKED UP A THIRD ACCOUNT. Reddington put to Dukes that Women and Infants turned the defendant away on December 20 because it believed she was over-medicated and could not treat her for any postpartum condition on that footing. Dukes said that would surprise her and testified she did not know the reason; the Boston Globe reports the program citing concerns about her prescription regimen. That is the third witness in three days questioned about the same refusal — Tufts, Jollotta, now Dukes — and the first to say the stated reason would surprise her.
THE CALLBACK THAT NOBODY CAN PLACE. On August 11 Jollotta testified that no call from Women and Infants ever reached her and that she would certainly have returned one. On August 12 the same fact was put to Dukes twice, once on cross and once on the Commonwealth's redirect, in the form that Women and Infants reached out to Jollotta about the medications and never heard back. Two Commonwealth witnesses on consecutive days, and the accounts do not sit together. Recorded in the evidence file rather than resolved here.
FOUR CONTACTS, ALL IN DECEMBER, NONE IN JANUARY. Dukes saw the defendant on December 2, 5, 12 and 19, 2022 and last spoke to her on December 27. Like Jollotta's, her whole account stops more than a month before January 24. Every Commonwealth clinician called so far has had to concede the same gap.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS WERE NOT CROSS-EXAMINED. Neither Stonebridge nor Olson faced a single question from the defense. That is consistent with the posture of the case since the stipulation — the acts are not in dispute and only criminal responsibility is — but it is worth noting that the mechanism, timing and pain evidence went to the jury unchallenged.
THE JUDGE INSTRUCTED THE JURY ON EMOTION MID-TESTIMONY. After the first recess Judge Sullivan told the jurors that the law requires them to separate their emotional reaction from the informational value and weight of the evidence, and that the verdict must rest on the evidence alone and not on sympathy, anger, passion or prejudice. He gave the instruction on his own initiative, between two medical examiners, after the defendant had been wheeled out of the courtroom sobbing. He also warned the gallery at about 14:24 that disruptive statements would be dealt with summarily.
THE DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO BE PRESENT WAS RAISED BUT NOT RESOLVED. When the defendant's sobbing drowned out the testimony, Judge Sullivan called a recess and said he would speak to counsel about scheduling, noting that she has a right to be present for all of the testimony and can also waive that right. The Boston Globe records the remark; no outlet reports her waiving anything, and she was back in the courtroom when testimony resumed.
DATE AND NAME VARIANTS ON THIS DATE. The Boston Globe's blog dates the Dukes intake to December 2, 2023, a year out. Boston 25 gives her last encounter with the defendant as December 9 in one entry and December 19 in another. CBS Boston and the Patriot Ledger date her four meetings to late November through early December, which does not fit the December 2 to 19 dates. The Boston Globe puts the Women and Infants referral on December 20, the date East Idaho News gives for the interview, having placed the referral itself on December 12. The medical examiner is Olson to the Boston Globe and boston.com, Olsen to CBS Boston and Barbara Vidal Olsen in Boston 25's filed story. The counselor is Latiesha here and Latisha or Lateisha in August 11 coverage. Nicole Bradley is Nichole to the Boston Globe.
OUTLET DAY NUMBERING AGREES WITH OURS ON THIS DATE. Boston 25, CBS Boston, East Idaho News and NBC Boston all call August 12 day 12, which matches this file's ordinal. East Idaho News's running witness count — 63 through 68 — follows on without a gap from Jollotta as witness 62 on August 11. turnto10's August 12 story is headlined on the psychiatric nurse practitioner, which is August 11's witness, and its body covers August 12; the headline should not be read as placing Jollotta on the stand this day.

Witnesses (6)

Daniel LawlorCommonwealth09:29

Sergeant, Massachusetts State Police; evidence officer for the January 25, 2023 search of the Duxbury house. East Idaho News numbers him witness 63.

Direct: Buckingham Cross: Reddington

Sent by his supervisor on the night of January 24, 2023 to South Shore Hospital, where the defendant had been taken. He served a preservation order for her biological samples, including blood, and took custody of her clothing.
The clothing was displayed to the jury at about 09:36 to 09:41: a black tank top, jeans and a bra, all of them stained. East Idaho News and Boston 25 both record the three items and the staining; the Boston Globe describes a dark tank top and jeans and adds that he also collected her wedding rings.
As evidence officer he documented the items seized in the January 25 search of the house. Prescription bottles were among them. East Idaho News lists trazodone (20), diazepam at 2.5mg and 2mg, and amitriptyline (20); the Boston Globe gives trazodone, diazepam and amitriptyline without quantities; boston.com renders the diazepam as Valium. The Globe also records a baby monitor and a Google Nest camera in the master bedroom.
He searched the master bedroom and did not recall searching or examining the nightstand. See the nightstand thread in the evidence file.
A phone and a laptop were seized. He did not recall blood on the phone; he did recall blood on the floor, on a mirror and on a window. He did not recall shoes being taken and did not recall an Apple Watch being found.
CBS Boston reports that he also went to Boston Children's Hospital that night to check on Callan's condition; no other outlet read carries that.
He was later sent to Brigham and Women's Hospital, where the defendant was being treated in the district attorney's custody, and stood outside her room. No visitors were permitted; East Idaho News records his evidence that it was about a week before visits were allowed, and he was uncertain about her restraint status.
He saw a psychiatrist go into the room and close the door. He testified that he remained outside, did not hear the conversation and was not attempting to listen.
ON CROSS, THE ZEIZEL QUESTION. Reddington identified the doctor as Dr. Paul Zeizel, a Newton-based psychologist whom he had arranged for the defendant to see, and said he had obtained a court order to get him access to the room. He then asked whether it was fair to say the district attorneys' contention was that Zeizel told the defendant to call Patrick Clancy and tell him she heard voices. The Commonwealth objected before Lawlor answered and the judge called a sidebar. See the ruling track.
ON VOIR DIRE, OUT OF THE JURY'S PRESENCE. The prosecutor established that Lawlor had not known the government's theory of the case at the time he was at the hospital, that he was aware of no evidence that the doctor had prompted the defendant's call, and that nothing said in his conversation with the investigator affected his testimony. CBS Boston adds that he denied discussing theories with the prosecutors; his conversation was with the fellow investigator.
ON VOIR DIRE. Boston 25 and East Idaho News report the voir dire establishing that the defendant used the psychologist's cell phone at the hospital to call Patrick Clancy and told him she heard voices on the night of the killings; that Lawlor was in the hallway and could not hear the call; and that he later met the lead investigator, who told him Patrick Clancy had reported the call to the State Police and to the grand jury. The jury did not hear this passage.
BEFORE THE JURY, NARROWED. When the jury came back the questioning resumed against Trooper Joshua McKelligan rather than against the prosecutors. Lawlor said McKelligan had told him of the theory that Zeizel planted the idea of hearing voices with the defendant during the hospital visit, described it as speculation in the office, and agreed with Reddington that there was no investigative basis for it. CBS Boston renders his answers as no investigator basis and as McKelligan speculation.
ON REDIRECT. Buckingham had him agree that it is normal for investigators to discuss theories during an open investigation and that theories change as evidence develops. He stepped down at about 10:45.

Latiesha DukesCommonwealth10:45

Mental health counselor at the perinatal clinic at South Shore Health, sometimes given as South Shore Hospital; the Patriot Ledger describes her as a social worker with the hospital's perinatal program. East Idaho News numbers her witness 64 and gives her title as former perinatal clinician. Her forename appears as Latiesha on this date and as Latisha and Lateisha in coverage of August 11.

Direct: Buckingham Cross: Reddington

SHAPE OF THE CONTACT. Four appointments and one later call: in person on December 2, 2022; December 5; December 12; and December 19, the last of these virtual. She called the defendant on December 27 about completing the Women and Infants referral, and spoke to Patrick Clancy the same day. She had no contact at all in January. East Idaho News carries the full list of dates; the Boston Globe and CBS Boston both report four visits. CBS Boston and the Patriot Ledger date the four meetings to late November through early December, which does not fit the December 2 to December 19 dates the other outlets give.
HER ROLE. To build a treatment plan, teach coping skills, connect the patient to community support and provide resources. On redirect she said she was not managing medications, and that while therapists can collaborate with other providers on overall treatment, the therapy itself is independent.
THE FIRST APPOINTMENT, DECEMBER 2. She was referred the defendant for postpartum anxiety and depression. The presenting concerns were anxiety, depression, lack of sleep and thoughts of suicide — what she described as frequent passive suicidal ideation, thoughts of wanting to die and of no longer wanting to be here. The Boston Globe's blog dates this intake December 2, 2023, which is a year out from every other account and from the timeline of the case.
HOW THE DEFENDANT PRESENTED AT INTAKE. Her mood appeared normal; East Idaho News records that she was cheerful while describing her anxiety. She was worried about becoming addicted to Ativan, though Dukes testified she was not using it beyond what was prescribed and did not present with a substance use disorder. She reported suicidal thoughts but no plan, and denied wanting to harm herself or anyone else. Dukes testified that had there been a plan she would have escalated to a higher level of care.
HER IMPRESSION AND HER PLAN. Postpartum anxiety, because the defendant had anxiety about most things. She recommended outpatient therapy, continuing the prescriptions and weekly visits; the Boston Globe reports her recommending intensive outpatient therapy including a partial hospitalization program. The Patriot Ledger's summary renders the diagnosis reasoning as a negative — that she did not have anxiety about most things — which reverses every other account and reads as a transcription slip.
DECEMBER 5. The defendant reported intrusive thoughts about wanting to die over the weekend and continuing thoughts of not wanting to be here, with no plan and no suicidal ideation during the visit itself. Her husband was present. She had contacted Aspire, the crisis service, and been told she did not meet the criteria for inpatient care because she had no plan. Dukes offered intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization options, reviewed sleep hygiene, was asked about psychological testing, and discussed the case with Rebecca Jollotta and sent her information. Asked directly, she said she saw no mania, no paranoia and no psychosis.
DECEMBER 12. The defendant indicated she was willing to start a partial hospitalization program, and a program in Norwell was under discussion. Dukes recommended the program at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence instead, because it was designed for postpartum women and allowed the infant to attend, and made the referral. Passive suicidal ideation continued, still without a plan. Her husband and mother-in-law were supporting her.
DECEMBER 19, THE LAST VISIT. Low mood and numbness continued, but she had needed no crisis intervention over the weekend, was spending time with family, was exercising to help her mood and was sleeping better. Dukes described her as more engaged, able to smile and laugh and enjoying her family. Women and Infants had reached out and she had missed the call. Dukes did not think a higher level of care was necessary at that point. Boston 25's blog gives this last encounter as December 9 in one entry and December 19 in another; every other outlet gives December 19.
DECEMBER 27. Dukes called about completing the Women and Infants referral. Patrick Clancy raised concerns about the medications and she referred him to the prescriber.
WHAT SHE DID NOT SEE. Across all four visits she observed no signs of mania, delusions, paranoia or psychosis. Between December 2 and December 27 she had no fear for the defendant's safety or anyone else's, no concern about her reliability, and never reached the point of needing a safety plan or a Section 12 discussion with the other providers.
ON CROSS: SHE NEVER READ HER COLLEAGUES' NOTES. Reddington established that she did not look at the notes of Julie Paul or Rebecca Jollotta, clinicians in the same program at the same hospital treating the same patient in the same weeks. She could have, and did not. Her explanation on cross and again on redirect was that she wanted to come to the patient with new eyes, and that this was typical practice.
ON CROSS: WHAT WAS IN THE DECEMBER 2 RECORD. The defendant disclosed Prozac and Ativan and her fear of becoming addicted to benzodiazepines; she reported heart palpitations and panic attacks; Remeron had been prescribed; she reported suicidal ideation dating from when the medications started; her anxiety was recorded as unmanageable and she was constantly worried something bad would happen to the children, and especially to the baby. East Idaho News records alcohol use and an attempt to use a marijuana gummy for sleep being discussed. The Boston Globe reports Reddington putting nightly drinking of one to two glasses in October 2019 as a way of coping with anxiety; that year does not fit the treatment chronology and no other outlet carries the date.
ON CROSS: THE WOMEN AND INFANTS REFUSAL. Reddington put it to her that the defendant was interviewed at Women and Infants on December 20 and turned away because the program believed she was over-medicated, and that it could not treat her as suffering from postpartum psychosis, depression, anxiety or any postpartum condition on that footing. Dukes said that would surprise her. She testified she did not know why the program declined. The Boston Globe reports the program citing concerns about her prescription regimen.
ON CROSS: THE CALL TO JOLLOTTA THAT WAS NEVER RETURNED. Reddington asked whether she was aware that Women and Infants had reached out to Jollotta about the medications on the same day and got no response. She was not. East Idaho News records the same point being put again on the Commonwealth's redirect. Set this against Jollotta's evidence of August 11 that no call from Women and Infants ever reached her and that she would certainly have returned one; the two accounts are recorded in the evidence file rather than reconciled here.
ON CROSS: THE POSTPARTUM LITERATURE. Reddington took her through material he attributed to the Massachusetts General Hospital center for women's mental health. She did not agree with a figure of 85 percent for postpartum mood disturbance; she agreed that 10 to 15 percent experience severe symptoms; she agreed to the three categories of postpartum blues, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis; she agreed the defendant hit almost every symptom on the depression list he read out — sadness, tearfulness, loss of interest, guilt, worthlessness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, appetite change, inability to focus and suicidal thoughts; she agreed symptom severity can increase; she agreed postpartum psychosis is the most severe form and that it is diagnosed in about two women in a thousand. On the Edinburgh scale she agreed a score over 12 calls for thorough review; East Idaho News records the defendant's score put to her as 23 out of 30.
ON CROSS: THE FOUR CONCESSIONS. Asked whether the defendant appeared sincere, was looking for help, was hurting, and was turning in every direction she could for help, Dukes answered yes to each.
ON CROSS AND RECROSS: LAUGHING AND NUMBNESS. Reddington pressed her on the December 19 note, which recorded the defendant laughing and in better spirits while also recording continued low mood and numbness. Asked whether she was laughing while she was numb, Dukes said the laugh came in reaction to part of the conversation and that the defendant still reported low mood, and that a note is a summary of the visit and does not capture everything discussed. Asked where and when the defendant had exercised, she said she had not recorded it and that the exercise itself was an improvement.
ON CROSS, ONE OUTLET ONLY. The Patriot Ledger reports her acknowledging that she did not know about an emergency department visit on December 15, 2022, that her own notes recorded numbness on a day she described the defendant as not appearing numb, and that the defendant had lost ten pounds in a month and cried while describing her anxiety symptoms. That piece attributes this questioning to prosecutors; every other account places this material in Reddington's cross-examination.
ON REDIRECT. Buckingham returned to the fresh-eyes explanation for not reading the other clinicians' notes, established that Dukes had no medication-management role, went back over the Norwell and Women and Infants referrals, and closed on the December 19 impression that the symptoms were improving through contact with family and friends. She stepped down at about 12:47 to 12:50.

Cameron DaleyCommonwealth12:49

Patrolman, Duxbury Police Department. East Idaho News numbers him witness 65.

Direct: Buckingham Cross: Reddington

Assigned to Brigham and Women's Hospital on January 25, 2023 from 10am to 7pm to watch the defendant, who was in the intensive care unit.
She was asleep and attached to medical devices. He stayed outside the room and no one went in during his shift; a State Police detective, given by Boston 25 as Det. McDonald, and Plymouth County sheriff's personnel came to the hospital. The Boston Globe reports him being relieved at the end of the shift by the State Police crime scene team.
On cross Reddington asked whether he was there armed and badged to guard a woman tied to a hospital bed. Daley agreed. CBS Boston puts his whole appearance at under five minutes.

Nicole BradleyCommonwealth14:27

Plymouth County Sheriff's Office; the Boston Globe gives her as a deputy superintendent and East Idaho News places her in the field services division. Her forename is spelled Nichole by the Boston Globe. East Idaho News numbers her witness 66.

Direct: Buckingham Cross: -

The sheriff's office kept a watch on the defendant at Brigham and Women's Hospital from January 25 to February 3, 2023.
The watch records were admitted through her over a defense objection that they were not necessary. Her appearance took about two to four minutes; no outlet reports a cross-examination.

Renee StonebridgeCommonwealth14:31

Director of cardiac and neuropathology, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Boston. East Idaho News numbers her witness 67.

Direct: Sprague Cross: None

In deaths of children under two she examines the brain and the spinal cord.
CORA. Hemorrhages around the tissues and the nerves of the eyes, consistent with a death by asphyxial strangulation.
DAWSON. Hemorrhaging in the eyes as well, which she described as similar to Cora's and consistent with something asphyxial.
CALLAN. She examined his brain, and East Idaho News reports his eyes as well. She found hypoxic-ischemic change, meaning the brain had not been getting enough blood and oxygen; Boston 25 also reports brain swelling.
Asked how long a brain survives without oxygen, she said most sources give six to eight minutes, after which it begins to die and does not come back.
CBS Boston puts the whole direct examination at under ten minutes. Reddington did not cross-examine.
The defendant had been crying quietly at the defense table from before the witness was called; she wept openly during the description of Cora's eyes, Reddington held her hand, and her sobbing brought the day's first recess.

Barbara OlsonCommonwealth15:12

Forensic pathologist, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; she performed the autopsies on Cora and Dawson. Spelled Olsen by CBS Boston and given as Barbara Vidal Olsen in Boston 25's filed story. East Idaho News numbers her witness 68.

Direct: Sprague Cross: None

CORA, EXTERNAL EXAMINATION. Trauma to the neck and the face; ligature furrows encircling the neck; petechial hemorrhages around the eyes, on the face and inside the lips. Boston 25's filed story reports Sprague asking whether the injuries to the face and neck area went with the trauma to the neck, and Olson answering that the findings in the head area were associated with it.
BRUISING. Fresh bruising to the arms and legs, which she attributed to the intervention of first responders; the Boston Globe places the bruising on the right arm and the legs. She testified she could not fix the exact age of a bruise, and that older bruises turn yellow and green.
MECHANISM AND TIMING. About four pounds of pressure compresses the veins of the neck and about ten pounds the arteries. Loss of consciousness can come as early as ten to thirty seconds; brain damage begins at about a minute; in complete deprivation the damage becomes irreversible within about five minutes.
PAIN. Asked about suffering, she testified that there is a component of pain, from the rising pressure in the blood vessels, until consciousness is lost.
DAWSON AGAINST CORA. The hemorrhaging on Dawson's face was more prominent than on Cora's, which she attributed to blood reaching his head at points despite the ligature, consistent with his struggling or with the pressure fluctuating. Boston 25's filed story reports her describing evidence that the children struggled.
CAUSES OF DEATH. boston.com and Boston 25 give both children as dying of asphyxia, Cora's by ligature strangulation; the Boston Globe reports the findings from Cora's autopsy as consistent with ligature strangulation; East Idaho News renders Cora's cause as mechanical strangulation and Dawson's as asphyxia. Dawson also had neck trauma with minor injuries to an arm and the left leg.
PHOTOGRAPHS. She walked the jury through autopsy photographs of both children as she testified. East Idaho News reports the photographs moved into evidence over defense objection at about 15:57.
OBJECTIONS. Reddington objected several times and CBS Boston describes him visibly frustrated, saying it was obvious what the prosecutor wanted. The Boston Globe reports his objection that the witness was repeating herself on increasingly graphic material, the Commonwealth answering that it was addressing inconsistencies, Reddington observing that it was the Commonwealth's own witness, and the judge taking it at a brief sidebar. East Idaho News reports a further objection and sidebar when the prosecutor pressed for detail on how long a person survives after losing consciousness. boston.com places the objections during Sprague's questioning about the variables affecting timing and brain damage.
NO CROSS-EXAMINATION. Reddington did not cross-examine, and Olson stepped down shortly before 4pm.

Exhibits and evidence

The defendant's clothing from the night of January 24, 2023 — a black tank top, jeans and a bra, all stained — held up for the jury at about 09:36 to 09:41. The Boston Globe also records her wedding rings being taken. No exhibit number reported.
Prescription bottles seized in the January 25, 2023 search of the Duxbury house: trazodone, diazepam and amitriptyline. East Idaho News gives twenty trazodone, diazepam at 2.5mg and 2mg, and twenty amitriptyline; boston.com renders the diazepam as Valium. No exhibit number reported.
Documentation of the items seized in the house search, including a baby monitor and a Google Nest camera in the master bedroom (Boston Globe), and a phone and a laptop. No exhibit number reported.
Plymouth County Sheriff's Office records of the hospital watch on the defendant at Brigham and Women's, January 25 to February 3, 2023, admitted through Nicole Bradley over a defense objection. No exhibit number reported.
Autopsy photographs of Cora and Dawson, shown to the jury as Dr. Olson walked through her findings and moved into evidence over defense objection at about 15:57. Impounded from public release under the pretrial order of July 24, 2026. No exhibit number reported.
Dukes's clinical notes of the December 2, 5, 12 and 19, 2022 visits, read from and put to her on cross-examination. Not reported to have been separately admitted.

Rulings and objections

10:00THE ZEIZEL COACHING QUESTION: OBJECTION, SIDEBAR, VOIR DIRE, NO ANNOUNCED RULING. ASKED BY THE DEFENSE: whether it was fair to say the district attorneys' contention was that Dr. Paul Zeizel told the defendant to call Patrick Clancy and tell him she heard voices. ARGUED: the Commonwealth objected before the witness could answer; no outlet read reports the substance of the sidebar argument on either side. The Boston Globe describes the purpose of the voir dire as evaluating whether the testimony could come in without unfair prejudice. WHAT HAPPENED: the jury was excused at about 10:15 for a voir dire of Sgt. Lawlor; the prosecutor examined him first, then Reddington; Judge Sullivan took a break of about ten minutes to rule (East Idaho News) and, per the Boston Globe at about 10:37, had not announced a ruling. RULED: nothing is reported. The jury returned at about 10:38 and the cross-examination resumed, put as what Trooper McKelligan had told the witness rather than as what the district attorneys contend. Recorded as reported: the line of questioning went to the jury in some form, and the basis on which it did was not stated on the record any outlet read.
14:27SHERIFF'S HOSPITAL WATCH RECORDS ADMITTED OVER OBJECTION. The Commonwealth moved in the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office records of the watch kept on the defendant at Brigham and Women's Hospital from January 25 to February 3, 2023. ARGUED FOR THE DEFENSE: that the records were not necessary. RULED: East Idaho News reports the objection and the records going in; the ruling itself is not described beyond that.
15:45OBJECTION DURING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DIRECT, TAKEN AT SIDEBAR. ARGUED FOR THE DEFENSE: that the witness was repeating herself on increasingly graphic ground; Reddington also observed that it was the Commonwealth's own witness, and CBS Boston reports him saying it was obvious what the prosecutor wanted. ARGUED FOR THE COMMONWEALTH: that the questioning was addressing inconsistencies. RULED: the Boston Globe reports Judge Sullivan calling a brief sidebar; no outlet reports how he ruled, and the testimony continued afterward. East Idaho News separately reports an objection and sidebar when the prosecutor pressed for detail on how long a person survives after losing consciousness, also without a reported ruling.
15:57AUTOPSY PHOTOGRAPHS OF CORA AND DAWSON ADMITTED OVER DEFENSE OBJECTION. East Idaho News reports the photographs moved into evidence over objections as Dr. Olson concluded. The grounds argued are not reported. The photographs remain covered by the pretrial impoundment order of July 24, 2026, which keeps them from public release while allowing the jury, counsel and witnesses to use them; that order is not a ruling made on this date.

Procedural

09:19Court in session. Judge Sullivan called counsel to sidebar before the jury came in. Boston Globe; East Idaho News records the jury entering at about 09:26 with the defendant looking straight ahead.
09:26Boston 25's reporter noted his own computer trouble had kept him from filing the previous day, which is why that outlet's August 11 coverage is thin.
09:29Sgt. Daniel Lawlor called. Boston 25 and East Idaho News timestamp the call at 09:29 to 09:30; the Boston Globe at 09:33.
09:36The defendant's clothing displayed to the jury. Boston 25 at 09:36, the Boston Globe at 09:41.
09:48Cross-examination of Lawlor began. East Idaho News at 09:48, Boston 25 at 09:58.
10:00Reddington's question about the district attorneys' contention that Dr. Zeizel told the defendant to say she heard voices. Immediate Commonwealth objection and sidebar. Boston 25 at 10:00, the Boston Globe at 10:10.
10:15Jury excused for a voir dire of Lawlor. Boston 25 at 10:15, East Idaho News at 10:14, the Boston Globe at 10:18.
10:23Judge Sullivan took a break of about ten minutes to rule on the line of questioning. East Idaho News. The Boston Globe reports at about 10:37 that no ruling had been announced.
10:36Court back in session; sidebar; then cross-examination of Lawlor resumed before the jury. East Idaho News at 10:36 to 10:37, Boston 25 at 10:38, the Boston Globe putting the jury's return at 10:46.
10:45Lawlor stepped down after a short redirect. Latiesha Dukes called. Boston 25 and East Idaho News at 10:45 to 10:46; the Boston Globe at 10:50.
11:29Morning recess. East Idaho News at 11:29, Boston 25 at 11:28; the Boston Globe places the jury's return at about 11:55 and the start of the cross-examination at 11:57.
11:54Court resumed and Reddington began his cross-examination of Dukes.
12:47Dukes stepped down after redirect and recross. Boston 25 at 12:45 to 12:49, East Idaho News at 12:47, the Boston Globe at about 12:50.
12:49Cameron Daley called; his evidence took under five minutes.
12:55Jury excused for lunch, court to resume at 2pm. Boston 25 at 12:52, East Idaho News at 12:55, the Boston Globe describing it as the afternoon recess at about 12:53.
14:13Court back in session with counsel at sidebar. East Idaho News at 14:13, the Boston Globe putting Judge Sullivan's entrance at about 14:10 and the sidebar still running at 14:22.
14:24Judge Sullivan warned the gallery that disruptive statements would be dealt with summarily. East Idaho News.
14:27Jury returned. The judge thanked the jurors for their patience and joked that they had been given a few extra minutes to look at the solar eclipse, which drew laughter — the Boston Globe notes it as a rare moment of levity in this trial. Nicole Bradley called and finished within a few minutes.
14:31Dr. Renee Stonebridge called. The defendant was already crying quietly at the defense table; she wept openly through the description of Cora's eye injuries.
14:45Recess called as the defendant sobbed. Two nurses took her from the courtroom in her wheelchair after the jurors filed out. Boston Globe.
15:10Jury returned and Judge Sullivan instructed the jurors to separate their emotional reaction from the informational value and weight of the evidence, and that the verdict must rest on the evidence alone and not on sympathy, anger, passion or prejudice. The Boston Globe times the return just after 15:10 and the instruction at 15:14.
15:12Dr. Barbara Olson called. East Idaho News at 15:12, Boston 25 at 15:15, the Boston Globe at about 15:21.
15:20Second break of the afternoon. The defendant slumped to the defense table sobbing and said she could not do this; the courtroom was cleared, the jurors escorted out, and two women comforted her while she hyperventilated. Judge Sullivan said he would speak to counsel about scheduling once he returned, and noted that the defendant has a right to be present for all of the testimony and can waive it. Boston 25 at 15:20, the Boston Globe at about 15:23.
15:36Court resumed with counsel at sidebar, the defendant back at the defense table with her head in her hands; the jury returned at about 15:36 to 15:38 and Olson's direct continued. The Boston Globe places the jurors' return just after 15:35 with a tissue box beside the defendant.
15:52Olson's evidence moved from Cora to Dawson. Boston 25.
15:57Olson gave Dawson's cause of death, the autopsy photographs went into evidence over objection, and she stepped down without cross-examination.
16:01Jury sent home; testimony to resume Thursday at 9am. CBS Boston reports Judge Sullivan telling the jurors counsel had indicated the trial was well on schedule and somewhat ahead of schedule.
-Several people in the public gallery became emotional as the autopsy photographs were shown, some leaving the courtroom in tears. turnto10. Boston 25's filed story reports jurors visibly affected by the photographs.

Sourcesboston-globe-live boston25 boston-me cbs-day-12 eastidaho-day-12 ledger-day-12 abc-day-12 turnto10-day-12 b25-autopsy-weeps

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