The only juror in the Lindsay Clancy case who voted for conviction is under scrutiny following a motion by Clancy’s attorney. This lone juror, Michael Desronvil, is facing questions over his conduct during the trial.
Allegations Against the Juror
Clancy’s defense team, led by attorney Kevin Reddington, filed a motion questioning Desronvil’s cell phone usage during deliberations. The motion alleges that Desronvil may have been untruthful when interviewed a day before the trial concluded and during the initial juror questionnaire.
The court has been asked to review Desronvil’s phone records during the jury’s deliberation hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as phone usage during this time is against state rules.
Attorney’s Response
Desronvil’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, criticized the motion harshly in a statement on X. He described the inquiry as a challenge to the U.S. Constitution, specifically attacking the Sixth Amendment, and called for widespread denouncement of the motion.
If the new normal is that jurors are going to face brutal reprisals for disagreeing with a defense attorney, you can kiss the Sixth Amendment goodbye.
Mistrial and Double Jeopardy Motion
Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on September 4 after the jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict despite extensive deliberations. Eleven jurors were inclined to find Clancy not criminally responsible for her children’s deaths.
Separately, Clancy’s legal team filed a double jeopardy motion on September 21 to dismiss the murder charges, arguing that a mistrial was unnecessary and citing concerns under the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments.
Ongoing Case and Future Proceedings
The case is still pending, with murder charges against Clancy unresolved. The next scheduled court date is a status hearing on September 29 at Plymouth Superior Court, presided over by Judge Sullivan.
This situation has ignited discussions around postpartum mental health and its implications in the legal system, as Clancy’s defense points to postpartum psychosis in her case.