Commonwealth v. Clancy

2383CR00198 · Plymouth Superior

Commonwealth v. Clancy, September 4, 2026

FridayreporteddeliberationsDay 28 of 28

The jury deadlocked after a seventh day of deliberations; a single Supreme Judicial Court justice denied an emergency defense bid to stay the mistrial, and Judge Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday afternoon, ending the trial without a verdict.

Key points
  • Reddington filed a motion ahead of Friday's session asking Sullivan for a standing order against further sidebar conferences, so any inquiry into the holdout juror happens in open court.
  • SULLIVAN DECLINED TO QUESTION THE HOLDOUT JUROR FURTHER, RULING FROM THE BENCH THAT HE SAW NO BASIS FOR AN INQUIRY. The ruling came after Reddington argued in open court that the juror had misled him Thursday by acknowledging doubt while refusing to apply it, and prosecutors countered that the jury's notes showed nothing more than ordinary disagreement over the evidence. Boston Globe, 9:18 a.m.
  • AFTER BEING SENT BACK TO DELIBERATE, THE JURY TOLD THE JUDGE IN WRITING THAT IT COULD NOT REACH A DECISION. Sullivan read the note aloud at 11:22 a.m.: "It is with a heavy heart that we report we are unable to come to a unanimous decision and will not be able to." Neither the Boston Globe nor CNN had yet reported what he said he would do about it -- send the jury back again or address a mistrial. There is no verdict and no mistrial as of this writing. Boston Globe, 11:22 and 11:23 a.m.; CNN, 11:23 and 11:44 a.m.
  • JUDGE SULLIVAN SAID HE BELIEVES HE MUST DECLARE A MISTRIAL, OVER REDDINGTON'S OBJECTION. The Boston Globe reported the jury was brought back in to be told; CNN initially reported a mistrial had been declared, then revised that at 11:42 a.m. to say Sullivan "intends" to declare one, matching the Globe, and reported jury notes have indicated an 11-1 split in favor of acquittal. Reddington then asked to appeal to the Supreme Judicial Court before any mistrial is declared; Sullivan gave him until about 12:29 p.m. to seek a stay, and court security ordered the line of Clancy supporters out of the building. Boston Globe, 11:26, 11:30, 11:35 and 11:47 a.m.; CNN, 11:25 and 11:42 a.m.
  • A SINGLE SJC JUSTICE DENIED THE DEFENSE'S EMERGENCY STAY MOTION, AND SULLIVAN DECLARED A MISTRIAL. Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt denied Reddington's motion after taking it under advisement following a 1:30 p.m. hearing; back in Plymouth Superior Court, Sullivan denied a renewed defense request to address the holdout juror and, with the jury brought into the courtroom, said: "At this point, I'm going to declare that the jury is deadlocked and I'm going to declare a mistrial." The trial ends without a verdict; jury notes had shown the panel split 11 to 1. Boston Globe, 2:20, 2:23 and 2:26 p.m.; CNN, 2:23, 2:26 and 2:28 p.m.
  • WHETHER TO RETRY CLANCY NOW RESTS WITH PLYMOUTH DISTRICT ATTORNEY TIMOTHY CRUZ, who can also seek lesser charges or a plea; Reddington said he will renew his motion asking Sullivan to acquit Clancy outright, and no retrial date has been reported. Boston Globe, 2:34, 2:35, 2:37 and 2:39 p.m. Cruz told reporters afterward that no retrial decision had been made, defended the original charging decision -- saying the investigation had not established that postpartum depression caused the killings -- and thanked the prosecution team while condemning threats they had received. CNN reported the judge has set a status hearing for September 29 as a step toward any retrial. Boston Globe, 2:34, 2:35, 2:37, 2:39, 2:50 and 2:57 p.m.; CNN, 3:01, 3:02 and 3:10 p.m.
  • REDDINGTON TOLD REPORTERS AFTER THE MISTRIAL THAT HE HAD WON THE CASE, saying the eleven other jurors had been "robbed" by the holdout and predicting that seating a jury unfamiliar with the case, rather than reaching unanimity, would be the main obstacle at any retrial. He said he would ask that any retrial jury be sequestered, called Cruz's press conference dismissive of the victims by name, and said he saw no reason to change his approach: "Why would I? I won the case." CNN, 3:28, 3:29, 3:33 and 3:50 p.m.; Boston Globe, 3:50 and 3:52 p.m.

Rulings and objections

Procedural