Killer mom Lindsay Clancy's defense doesn’t have to prove her insanity to escape conviction: Expert
DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS: Lindsay Clancy, the woman who strangled her three young children to death while allegedly battling postpartum psychosis, doesn't need to prove her insanity in order to avoid conviction, according to a lawyer. The burden of proof instead lies on the case's prosecutors. They will have to prove the former Massachusetts nurse was of sound mind when she strangled her children with exercise bands, should the case move to trial.
Clancy's children — Cora, five, Dawson, three, and seven-month-old baby Callan — were found fatally wounded by their father Patrick Clancy on January 24 after he returned from picking up some takeout food for the family. The devastated father had spoken to his wife just moments before the tragedy, which saw Lindsay critically injured from a failed suicide attempt following the attack on her children. The embattled mother now faces two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of strangulation and suffocation, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. While she stands accused of killing her infant, she is yet to face charges related to his death.
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Burden of proof lies with state
Clancy's defense attorney Kevin Reddington said his client was suffering from a bout of postpartum psychosis at the time of the incident and also cited a recent stint at a mental health facility. Prosecuting attorneys, however, claimed that the mother acted relatively normal that day, having played with her kids in the snow and spoken to her husband about dinner. Duncan Levin, a criminal defense attorney who has worked with the likes of Anna Delvey and Harvey Weinstein, told The Sun that the burden of proof lies with the state under Massachusetts law. Considering, prosecutors will have to present evidence proving Clancy was of the right mind when she allegedly killed her children, rather than the defense having to prove she was suffering from psychosis.
Lindsay Clancy's mental state
"This case is not going to center around whether she committed the murders or not," Levin told The Sun. "That's something that is not going to be an issue in this case. What is going to be an issue is her mental state and whether she was legally responsible." The legal expert said prosecutors could claim that "she was thinking clearly, speaking clearly and was of calm, cool, and collected mind," while arguing against Clancy. "The prosecution is going to have to prove that even if she was mentally ill, she still knew that what she was doing was wrong or illegal," Levin explained. "They will use [that evidence] to show that she was not suffering from psychosis at the time of the murders."
Was Lindsay Clancy overmedicated?
The heartrending case has gripped the nation and sparked discussions on postpartum psychosis. Reddington described his client as a "zombie" following "overmedication" in the weeks leading up to the triple homicide. The defense attorney said Clancy had a brief stint at a mental hospital while battling depression just three weeks before the tragedy. However, she was sent home after five days with two new prescriptions. According to Reddington, the mother was taking a total of 12 medications at the time of the killings -- including Prozac and Seroquel, which allegedly gave her side effects including "homicidal and suicidal ideation." Lindsay Clancy is still recuperating from injuries due to her fall, and her attorney has claimed she could be paralyzed from the waist down. That said, the case is pending and a probable cause appointment is scheduled on May 2, according to The Sun.