Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asks Trump for pardon after mistrial as defense signals openness to plea deal

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington has publicly appealed to President Donald Trump to consider pardoning Lindsay Clancy, days after a Massachusetts jury failed to reach a verdict in the case involving the deaths of her three children. The unusual request came as Clancy’s defense also signaled that it could be willing to negotiate with prosecutors rather than immediately face another trial.

Reddington made the appeal during an appearance on Good Morning America on September 8, four days after Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial in Clancy’s murder case.

Addressing Trump directly, Reddington asked the president to consider Clancy’s circumstances, including what she had experienced and her mental-health condition. He has previously described Clancy as being like a daughter to him and reiterated that he has a strong personal bond with her.


Trump had already commented publicly on the case. He described the deaths as a “horrible tragedy” and said he expected there would be consequences, referring to the possibility of a mental institution or jail.

There is, however, a major legal obstacle to the pardon request: Clancy is facing Massachusetts state charges, not federal charges. The US Department of Justice says the president's constitutional clemency authority extends only to federal offenses and does not cover violations of state law. The Constitution Annotated maintained by Congress likewise states that presidential pardon power applies to “offences against the United States,” not state crimes.

Why Lindsay Clancy’s case ended in a mistrial

Clancy, 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder over the January 2023 deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. Her defense has not disputed that she killed the children but argued that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and therefore lacked criminal responsibility for her actions.

Prosecutors presented a fundamentally different account, arguing that Clancy acted deliberately and pointing to evidence including material recovered from her phone and her internet search history.

The trial began in July and featured more than 80 witnesses and 300 exhibits, according to Reuters. After more than six days of deliberations, jurors repeatedly informed the court they were unable to reach a unanimous decision. Judge Sullivan ultimately declared a mistrial on September 4.

A mistrial does not mean Clancy was acquitted. She remains charged, and prosecutors can seek a new trial with a different jury.

Defense now open to a plea deal

The mistrial has also changed the immediate strategic landscape. Reddington told Good Morning America that he was “willing to listen” to Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz and hoped the prosecution might reconsider its position after seeing the evidence presented during the trial. He said he hoped the two sides could work out an arrangement acceptable to both.

That position is significant because, before trial, Clancy's attorney said prosecutors had not offered a plea agreement. CBS Boston reported that Reddington said prosecutors had not offered a plea deal before trial, while Clancy faced three first-degree murder charges. A conviction on those charges carries mandatory life imprisonment without parole in Massachusetts.

What happens to Lindsay Clancy now?

For now, Clancy remains in custody at a state psychiatric hospital. Reuters reported that she had been confined there before and during the trial and would remain in custody while prosecutors decide what to do next.

Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz has said no decision had been made about a retrial following the mistrial. The September 4 outcome therefore leaves several possibilities open: prosecutors could seek a new trial, negotiate a plea resolution with the defense, or take another course available under Massachusetts law.