Plymouth, Massachusetts - As the public, prosecution, and the defense team for accused murderer Lindsay Clancy await a verdict, the jury has now been sent home for the weekend after two days of deliberation. Follow live updates below from TAG24 NEWS for the latest.
The jury finished its second day of deliberation on Friday, and it must unanimously decide whether Clancy is criminally liable for the strangulation killing of her three young children with ex-husband Patrick Clancy after the defense team and the prosecution both wrapped up closing arguments on Thursday.
With weeks of emotionally charged testimony to go through, the jury on Friday hit Judge William Sullivan with questions about pill bottles and knives.
Clancy's lead defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, reportedly told Boston TV news station WCVB that the jury asked to see two Ziploc bags of pill bottles and the knife that Clancy used in her suicide attempt at her Massachusetts home.
The jury had access to more than 300 exhibits that were shown throughout the trial, except those two items, per WCVB.
Speaking on how Clancy is holding up as the jury deliberates her case, Reddington told reporters outside the courthouse, "She's nervous, like I said before. She's sad, scared. The same she's been forever since this incident."
UPDATE, 4:08 PM ET: Lindsay Clancy jury goes home after day two of deliberations
After wrapping up two days of deliberations, the 12-person jury – along with the six alternates – in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial has been sent home for the weekend. Deliberations will resume on Monday, August 31.
This means there will not be a verdict until at least Monday.
UPDATE, 3:56 PM ET: Retired judge calls out former FBI agent: "Needs life in prison"
As the jury nears the end of its second day of deliberation, a retired judge and a former FBI agent are trading takes on social media, with one saying Lindsay Clancy "needs life in prison."
Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, in a post on X, said she hopes "the jury will consider what happens if Lindsay is found not criminally responsible for murdering her 2 children and her baby."
Retired judge Carol Erskine countered Coffindaffer directly, saying "that is precisely what the jury is NOT permitted to consider in deciding its verdict."
"Jurors must decide one question: Has the Commonwealth proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Lindsay Clancy was criminally responsible at the time of the killings," Erskine wrote. "The verdict must be based on the evidence and the law—not fear or speculation about what happens afterward. It's been the law for centuries."
Coffindaffer responded, saying that regardless of the law, the jury could "decide" to do whatever they want: "Let's be honest. Jurors consider so much when they deliberate."
UPDATE, 2:09 PM ET: Why Lindsay Clancy won't face the death penalty no matter the verdict
As the jury enters its ninth hour of deliberations, conversations are taking place on social media regarding the death penalty as it relates to Clancy's case.
If found guilty, or criminally liable for the strangulation deaths of her three young children, Clancy will not face the death penalty. Massachusetts, where the crime took place, does not have capital punishment. Her sentencing depends on how the jury finds her.
If found guilty of first-degree murder, Clancy faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. If found guilty of second-degree murder, Clancy faces a life sentence with the possibility of parole. If found guilty of a lesser manslaughter charge, she faces a 20-year sentence in state prison.
If found not guilty by reason of insanity due to postpartum psychosis, which is what her defense team is pushing for, she will not go to prison but rather could be sent to a state mental health facility for periodic review.
UPDATE, 1:29 PM ET: How long will jury deliberate in Lindsay Clancy murder case? Legal experts weigh in
The jury is now in its second day of deliberations, though there is no indication of how long it will take to reach a verdict. Legal experts are weighing in on the timeline, with WBZ-TV legal analyst Jennifer Roman saying, “I don’t think we’re seeing a verdict before Monday or Tuesday of next week.”
Per reports by CBS News, Roman believes the jury was not on the same page when they entered the deliberation room on Thursday.
"Just by the sheer fact that they didn't come back [Thursday] at 4:20 [PM] means they are not unanimous," Roman said. "Even if it's not guilty by reason of insanity, it has to be unanimous."
The jury tasked with deciding Clancy's fate comprises 12 individuals: nine women and three men.
Of the 18 jurors who sat through five weeks of testimony, the judge's clerk randomly drew six jurors from that group to be alternates, leaving the 12 jurors to decide whether Clancy is criminally liable for the deaths of 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan.