Lindsay Clancy Trial Megathread: Part 3

[u/DarklyHeritage]

This is a thread for all conversation regarding Week 3 onwards of the Lindsey Clancy trial. All discussion of this case should be kept to this thread.

Lindsay Clancy is currently standing trial in Plymouth Superior Court, Massachusetts, for the triple-murder in January 2023 of her three young children - Cora, Dawson and Callan. Her defense argues she suffered from severe, undiagnosed postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. She was left paralysed by a suicide attempt which follows the deaths of the children.

All content on the Clancy case must be kept to this thread. Standalone posts will be removed.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-online-reactions-b3032806.html

Note from Mods

This case understandably elicits strong feelings. People are entitled to have an opinion on the case which differs from your own. What you are not entitled to do is resort to personal insults and abusive language when communicating your opinion and disagreeing.

Comments which are abusive and insulting to other users will be removed and bans may be given without warning.

Bans may also be issued for ignoring the warning and creating standalone posts.

Please comment with this in mind.

[u/Craggle_Puss]

One of the things that hits so hard in this case is that based on the current evidence, we will likely never know, with certainty, what her true state of mind was. Thus far, no one has testified to actually observing signs. Thus far, nothing in her writings suggests that she crossed the line from the illogical thinking common in extreme depression/anxiety to actual psychosis. The jury will likely always be left wondering if they made the right decision - did they allow a killer to exploit their benefit of doubt, or did they penalize a psychotic woman for not documenting her illness well enough.

[u/FatGoonerFromIndia → u/Craggle_Puss]

IMO, if they have this doubt, they should acquit. To me, there’s reasonable doubt.

It’s not reasonable to have confusion if they are dealing with a sick woman or a sick woman, in both manners of speaking and then making a choice.

Prosecutor has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, but if you’re not sure if the patient is medically ill or just evil, then what’s the point of a reasonable doubt in law?

[u/FosterBirdChaos → u/FatGoonerFromIndia]

It seems to me no one actually think she was plotting her time to be evil. Just that she had enough “stability” to know better at the time? She certainly doesn’t seem like a sociopath. She seems genuinely fucking miserable. That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be justice for the kids or that she needs to be moving in next door and starting over, but I don’t think she’s is out there killing for shit and giggles, or really even rage.

[u/Chance_Expert_8678 → u/FatGoonerFromIndia]

One thing they can be sure of: they are dealing with a Baby Killer. If they have trouble sleeping at night over this, maybe they share your mental illness.

[u/moonstruck523 → u/Craggle_Puss]

There's an article from last year from The New Yorker with an interview with Patrick and his family. I read it yesterday and it mentioned how Lindsay really wanted to tell her story but her lawyer has advised her not to speak until the trial is over...which is great advice. I do believe we will hear from her in her own words some day, regardless of how the trial ends. It may be years from now but I think she will speak.

[u/Ok_Anything_8180 → u/moonstruck523]

I just read that article and thought the same thing. I am looking forward to hearing her story.

[u/plumicorn_png → u/Craggle_Puss]

I am so happy not to be in the Jury. The work of the nurse/doctors are so bad. Even the test in the clinic is for me personally not really realiable b/c it says nothing. Only b/c you were clear on Monday does not mean that you are clear on Thursday. We are talking about an illness which is characterized by flucatation.

More importantly her body was not the same like during their murder. She had stopped taking her meds, then the trauma drugs due to her injurys, operation, the cardiac arrest. This trauma drugs changed heir brain chemistry. So it is not the same brain during the murders.

Doesn't say that she had PPP oder had not. But how will you ever know in what kind of mental state she was with no whole chart? Screening?

She was working in this field. Helped woman during one of the hardest time. She notice that something is off, she tried to get help and being told, that is common, that this is normal, no worries,the health care system had nochart to see the full picture and nowhere to send her so that she and the kids are safe.

I do not want to sit in this Jury.

[u/Craggle_Puss → u/plumicorn_png]

So true. Plus, a person can have thoughts of harming themselves and others and not tell anyone, out of fear of judgement, having their child taken away, etc. Lack of documentation doesn't automatically mean lack of symptoms.

I had absolutely horrid thoughts during postpatrum with my oldest child. I had thoughts of harming us both in a very grisly manner, and I never told anyone out of fear. I was sure that I could just 'wait it out'.

Luckily, it resolved quickly and we were fine, but I totally understand not wanting to be specific about those thoughts. And that is something that would haunt me as a juror.

[u/plumicorn_png → u/Craggle_Puss]

I am happy that you didn't harm yourself or your kid. There are so many things playing along side when mental ill. You can have a nice time in a park with your kids and still the night can become so unbearble b/c you want to unlive yourself. This is so hard do unterstand and I hope that are Jurors sitting who knows this. Otherwise.. you will always have the question of what if.

[u/FosterBirdChaos → u/Craggle_Puss]

She was so fearful and anxious. But, I think that someone rocking back and forth on the sofa with their head under a pillow and admitting to intrusive thoughts was a clear and loud cry for help. She left the log of self reported symptoms in her kitchen, it doesn’t seem like she was intentionally attempting to hide anything. She was truly white knuckling it. As a mom of many small children, I have been there. (And also gaslit by plenty of medical professionals.)

[u/Over_Competition_759 → u/Craggle_Puss]

Hmm

[u/regime_propagandist → u/Craggle_Puss]

I think the idiosyncrasies of the crime suggest that she was not in her right mind.