Judge Judy has weighed in on whether Lindsay Clancy should face another trial after her first murder trial ended without a verdict. The TV courtroom star said she sees a “real danger” in allowing the case to end with a hung jury as Clancy’s defense prepares a challenge to prevent prosecutors from retrying her.
Judge Judy warns against letting the Lindsay Clancy murder case end with a mistrial
Judge Judy, whose real name is Judy Sheindlin, told TMZ that she saw a “real danger” in letting the case end with a hung jury. Sheindlin also addressed Clancy’s criminal responsibility.
“There’s no question that she killed her children,” Sheindlin said. However, she added that whether Clancy had an excuse for her actions was a separate issue.
The judge overseeing the case declared a mistrial on September 4 after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision following seven days of deliberations. The panel eventually split 11-1 over whether Clancy lacked criminal responsibility for the killings.
Prosecutors charged Lindsay Clancy with three counts of first-degree murder after the January 2023 deaths of her children. Cora was 5, Dawson was 3, and Callan was 8 months old.
Her attorneys did not dispute that she killed the children. Instead, they argued that postpartum psychosis and medication affected her ability to understand her actions and that she was not criminally responsible. Prosecutors maintained that she remained legally responsible for the killings.
The possibility of a retrial now sits at the center of the case. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, plans to seek dismissal on double-jeopardy grounds. He argues that the circumstances surrounding the mistrial should prevent another prosecution.
Judge Judy did not address that legal argument directly. Still, she made clear that she believes Clancy should face another trial, saying there could be a “real danger” if the case is allowed to end with the hung jury.
Clancy is scheduled to return to court on September 29. Her defense is expected to pursue its double-jeopardy challenge as the court considers what happens next in the case.
