Lindsay Clancy trial update: Vanity Fair pulls journalist after courtroom smile and wink goes viral; Brittany Romano says "I was laughing because..."

The Lindsay Clancy trial has taken an unexpected turn after journalist Brittany Romano faced intense online criticism over a brief moment in the courtroom that showed her smiling and appearing to wink at a camera.

Romano, who said she grew up with Clancy, has since defended her reaction and claimed she is now receiving death threats and abusive messages. The controversy also led Vanity Fair to withdraw a planned personal essay and inform the court that Romano was no longer credentialed by the magazine.

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Reporter’s courtroom smile sparks backlash

The incident happened Monday at Plymouth Superior Court in Massachusetts as a camera livestreaming the trial panned across the courtroom gallery. Romano, who was wearing a green dress, was captured smiling toward the camera and appearing to wink.

The brief clip quickly spread on social media, where viewers questioned how a journalist could appear cheerful during a trial involving the deaths of three children.

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The case has attracted intense attention because Clancy, 36, is accused of killing her three children at the family’s Duxbury home in January 2023. Her defense does not dispute that she killed the children but argues that she was suffering from severe mental illness, including postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors maintain that she was criminally responsible for her actions.

Brittany Romano explains why she was smiling

Romano later pushed back against the criticism, saying the expression captured on camera did not mean she was indifferent to the case. “I smile through anxiety. I smile when I'm uncomfortable,” Romano said in response to the backlash.

She also explained that she had a personal connection to Clancy, saying the two grew up in the same area of Connecticut.

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Romano said her father had previously watched her appear on television while covering the trial and told her that she looked unhappy. When she later noticed the courtroom camera, she said she remembered his comment and began smiling.

“I was laughing because I grew up with Lindsay,” Romano said while explaining the moment. The journalist has said she had been following the case for roughly two years and was interested in reporting on the mental-health issues at the center of the defense.

Vanity Fair ends planned essay

The controversy quickly spilled into Romano's relationship with Vanity Fair. The magazine had been considering a personal essay from Romano about her experience growing up with Clancy. But after the courtroom incident, Vanity Fair said it had decided not to publish the piece and notified the court that Romano was no longer credentialed by the publication.

“Yesterday, after clear conflicts with our editorial standards and processes, we informed Romano that we were not moving forward with her essay and informed the court that she is no longer credentialed by Vanity Fair,” the magazine said.

Romano has disputed the characterization of the situation, saying she was a freelance journalist rather than a staff reporter.

The controversy was also fueled by a social-media post showing Romano with Clancy's defense attorney Kevin Reddington and two other women. The image drew additional scrutiny because of Romano's personal connection to the defendant.

Journalist says she is receiving death threats

As the video continued to circulate, Romano said the online reaction became much more serious. She claimed she received abusive messages, including threats and comments telling her to harm herself.

“A smile is not a crime. Telling a woman to slit her wrists is,” Romano wrote while responding to the criticism. Romano has maintained that she does not believe she owes an apology for the brief courtroom reaction.

The episode has opened a wider debate about how journalists should conduct themselves while covering emotionally charged criminal proceedings — and about how quickly a few seconds of courtroom footage can turn into a viral social-media controversy.

Lindsay Clancy trial nears closing arguments

Meanwhile, the Lindsay Clancy trial is moving toward its final phase.

Testimony concluded Wednesday after prosecutors presented their final expert testimony. A prosecution forensic psychiatrist testified that Clancy was mentally ill but understood the difference between right and wrong when the killings occurred, while the defense has continued to emphasize her alleged postpartum psychosis and deteriorating mental health.

Closing arguments are expected next, bringing the closely watched trial one step closer to a verdict.