TRUE CRIME NEWSJudge Judy Warns There's 'a Danger' in Not Retrying Lindsay Clancy Murder Case After It Ended in a Mistrial
Judge Judy Sheindlin shared her take on the Lindsay Clancy mistrial.
Sept. 17 2026, Published 7:49 p.m. ET
Judge Judy Sheindlin weighed in on the Lindsay Clancy murder case after it was declared a mistrial earlier this month.
"There’s no question that she killed her children, the only question is, 'Is there an excuse for it?'" Sheindlin, 83, told TMZ on Thursday, September 17. "Make up your own mind on that one."
Judge Judy Sheindlin admitted that she didn't have a short answer when asked about the Lindsay Clancy case.
Judge Judy Sheindlin on Lindsay Clancy's Recent Mistrial
Judge Judy Sheindlin said there was a 'real danger' in not retrying Lindsay Clancy after her mistrial earlier this month.
The Judge Judy star admitted she couldn't give a short answer about the complex case, but said there was a "real danger" in not retrying the mother charged with first-degree murder.
As OK! previously reported, Clancy confessed to using exercise equipment to fatally strangle her three young children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, in the basement of her Duxbury, Mass., home in January 2023.
Lindsay Clancy Pleaded Not Guilty
Lindsay Clancy pleaded not guilty, claiming she was suffering from postpartum depression at the time of the murders.
The former nurse, who was left wheelchair-bound in a suicide attempt following the slayings, pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, essentially an insanity defense.
Clancy's defense team argued that the mom-of-three was suffering from postpartum depression and shouldn’t be held accountable for her actions.
“That was not the Lindsay that is now living amongst us,” her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, said. “The person that committed this atrocious act was as a result of postpartum psychosis combined with the medications that she was provided.”
- Lindsay Clancy Is on '24/7 Suicide Watch' But Has 'Incredible Family Support,' Her Lawyer Reveals After Mistrial: 'I Worry About Her Every Day'
- Lindsay Clancy Psychologist Says Accused Murderer Is 'Extremely Well-Regarded' at Tewksbury Hospital and 'Thinks of Her Late Children ‘Every Single Day'
- As Jury Prepares to Vote on Lindsay Clancy, Legal Analyst Says Verdict Depends on Whether She Was 'Criminally Responsible'
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Lindsay Clancy Prescribed 'Cocktail' of Medication in Months Leading Up to Murders
The prosecution had the burden of convincing a jury that Lindsay Clancy was criminally responsible for the slayings beyond a reasonable doubt.
During the court proceedings, her legal team provided extensive medical logs that proved she was prescribed a heavy "cocktail" of up to 13 different medications in the four months before the murders.
In most states, the defendant's legal team must prove a lack of criminal responsibility.
Clancy's case is unique because in her home state of Massachusetts, the burden falls on the prosecution, who must convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that she was criminally responsible for murdering her children.
Lindsay Clancy Remains on Suicide Watch
11 out of 12 jurors reportedly agreed to not convict Lindsay Clancy.
After a six-week trial and days of deliberation, the case ended in a mistrial on September 4.
The jury – consisting of nine women and three men – failed to reach a unanimous decision, with 11 of the 12 jurors reportedly agreeing not to convict Clancy, per The New York Times.
Since the ruling, her lawyer revealed that Clancy was "not very good" and remains "suicidal" after her high-profile murder trial.
"She’s strong. She has incredible family support,” he said in an interview with NBC News on September 9. "But she is suicidal. I mean, she’s on 24/7, one-on-one suicide watch. I worry about her every day.
