Defense attorney Kevin Reddington accused prosecutors of muttering 'shut her up' on a hot mic during Lindsay Clancy's murder trial on Friday.
Reddington erupted in Plymouth County Superior Court after the morning recess, telling the judge he had an issue to address before the jury entered. When Judge William Sullivan called for a sidebar, Reddington refused to step up privately.
Reddington pointed at prosecutors Jennifer Sprague and Shanan Buckingham and shouted that they were caught on a hot mic saying 'shut her up' while autopsy photos were played. He added that court is not like 'Handmaid's Tale' and prosecutors cannot tape her mouth shut.
Hot Mic Allegation in Court
The accusation followed an emotional moment on Thursday, when graphic autopsy photos of eight-month-old Callan Clancy were shown to the 18-member jury. Medical examiner Dr. Kimberly Springer was testifying about the autopsy when Lindsay Clancy broke down crying at the defense table.
Nurses escorted the sobbing defendant out of the courtroom during a recess. A microphone on the court livestream picked up a voice saying 'shut that off' or 'shut her up', though the exact phrasing remained unclear.
Judge Sullivan summoned both legal teams to the bench to handle the dispute outside the hearing of the public and media. Afterwards, the judge warned everyone in the room that disruptive or inappropriate comments would result in immediate removal and a ban from the court without warnings.
The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office denied that prosecutors uttered the remark. A spokesperson stated that a review of the video showed someone else in the courtroom said 'shut it off' in reference to the monitors displaying the autopsy pictures.
Psychiatric Testimony on Medication and Mental State
The clash occurred on the ninth day of testimony, which focused on the mental health treatment Lindsay Clancy received before the killings. Jurors heard testimony from Dr. Jennifer Tufts, a psychiatrist who treated Clancy starting in September 2022.
Dr. Tufts testified that during an appointment on January 23, 2023, one day before the killings, Clancy showed no signs of psychosis. Clancy denied having homicidal thoughts, suicidal thoughts, or hallucinations at that visit.
Dr. Tufts described Clancy as depressed and flat, but noted her communication, thought process, and cognitive skills were appropriate. Clancy reported feeling anxious and lacking motivation, but said she was sleeping okay and gave no indication of being a danger to herself or others.
Medical History and Malpractice Lawsuits
Over four months of treatment, Dr. Tufts and other providers prescribed Clancy 13 different psychiatric medications for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Defense attorneys argue that Clancy was heavily overmedicated, leading to severe postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.
Prosecutors contend Clancy was of sound mind during the killings and point out that pill bottles found in her home still contained unused medication. Dr. Tufts testified that Clancy initially hesitated to take antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, but struggled with insomnia and medication side effects.
In December 2022, Clancy told Dr. Tufts she experienced intrusive thoughts and felt like she was going to die. Clancy also reported visiting an emergency room that month after having suicidal thoughts, though she denied such thoughts during her January visits.
Both Lindsay Clancy and her husband, Patrick Clancy, have filed separate malpractice lawsuits against Dr. Tufts. The suits allege that overmedication by Dr. Tufts and other providers worsened Clancy's condition and caused the deaths of the children.
Hospitalization and Murder Charges
Jurors also heard from Dr. Alia Goodheart, a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital where Clancy voluntarily stayed for five days starting New Year's Day 2023. Dr. Goodheart testified that Clancy repeatedly described feeling numb during her stay.
Patrick Clancy's father previously described the family as the all-American family. On January 24, 2023, Patrick Clancy returned home from running an errand to find that his three children had been attacked.
The 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months. Authorities state Clancy strangled the children with exercise bands in the basement of their Duxbury home, cut her wrists and neck, and jumped from a second-floor window.
Clancy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. If convicted of first-degree murder, she faces life in prison without parole, while a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity would result in commitment to a psychiatric facility.
