The attorney for Michael Desronvil, the lone juror holdout in the Lindsay Clancy trial, has criticized inquiries into Desronvil’s behavior. Desronvil was the only juror who supported convicting Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children.
Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, filed a motion on Friday, disclosed to the public on Monday, requesting that the court investigate Desronvil’s use of a cell phone during jury deliberations. The motion also questions his honesty during trial proceedings and his answers on a pre-trial juror questionnaire.
Reddington has urged the court to obtain a record of any texts or calls that Desronvil made between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on the days the jury deliberated. State law prohibits phone use during jury deliberation.
In response, Desronvil’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, called the motion a direct challenge to the U.S. Constitution in a statement shared online. He asserted that if jurors face harsh repercussions for disagreeing with defense attorneys, the Sixth Amendment is in jeopardy. Paltzik described the investigation request as appalling and deserving of condemnation.
A mistrial was declared on September 4 by Judge William Sullivan, as the jury could not reach a unanimous decision after extensive deliberation. Eleven of the twelve jurors were prepared to exempt Clancy from criminal liability.
Clancy acknowledged killing her children, aged 5, 3, and 8 months, at their home. Her legal team argued she was not guilty due to insanity, related to postpartum psychosis. This case has ignited a national dialogue on addressing postpartum psychosis within the judicial system.
However, the prosecution contended that Clancy orchestrated her husband’s absence to commit the murders. Desronvil agreed with the prosecution, believing the evidence demonstrated Clancy’s awareness and intent.
“I didn’t have any doubts. As I tried to explain different possible theories during deliberation, I kept getting cut off as if I had doubts based on the evidence present.” – Michael Desronvil
Separately, Clancy’s defense team submitted a motion on September 21 to dismiss the first-degree murder charges, citing double jeopardy. Attorney Martin Weinberg, representing Clancy, claimed the mistrial should not have been declared, invoking the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The motion argues there was no absolute need for a mistrial since no judicial inquiry was conducted on reports of a juror’s refusal to follow court instructions regarding reasonable doubt.
The case remains open, and murder charges against Clancy are pending. A status hearing is scheduled for September 29 in Plymouth Superior Court with Judge Sullivan presiding.
This article incorporates reporting from the Associated Press.
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