A retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge has expressed skepticism about the potential for Lindsay Clancy to be released if she is found not guilty by reason of insanity in the deaths of her three young children.
Judge Jack Lu told Fox News Digital that even in such a scenario, Clancy would likely face a significant amount of time in a mental institution. He noted that a group of mental health officials, who are often seen as aligned with the prosecution, would periodically review her commitment at the facility.
These officials, according to Lu, are viewed as having a prosecutorial mindset and are likely to side with the prosecution. "They're viewed as an arm of the prosecution," he said. "I'm going to be very frank, they kind of view this through the lens of if in doubt, lock them up."
Clancy, 36, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children, Cora, Dawson, and Callan, who were found strangled at the family's home in January 2023.
Lu also noted that there is a second way for Clancy to be released from a mental institution, which would be through the courts. However, he said that this process is often contested and difficult to navigate.
Clancy's case has drawn parallels with the case of Constance Fisher, a Maine woman who was committed to a mental hospital after drowning her three children in a bathtub in 1954. Fisher was later accused of drowning three more children and was sent back to the mental hospital before escaping and being found dead.
The jury in Clancy's case, consisting of nine women and three men, is currently deliberating on a verdict. They asked to be dismissed for the day on Monday and will return on Tuesday morning to continue their deliberations.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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