Lindsay Clancy is pushing back against internet conspiracy theories that falsely accuse her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, of killing their three children in 2023, believing he has been unfairly targeted by online sleuths since her murder trial, her defense attorney Kevin Reddington told NBC News on Wednesday, September 9.

"She knows, and it's readily apparent that Patrick has been set upon and his life has been turned upside down into a nightmare that he doesn't deserve. Period. Full stop," Reddington said in a wide-ranging interview.

The statement comes after Patrick Clancy's lawyers responded to online allegations on Tuesday, slamming true-crime creators behind the theories. The statement called the theories a "campaign of misinformation" that was "publishing what they know to be outright falsehoods that Patrick was somehow involved in the death of his young children and other vile claims."

His attorney added that "every appropriate measure will be pursued to hold them accountable, including legally," and that "law enforcement has been notified."

Last Friday, September 5, Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial at Plymouth Superior Court after the jury deliberating whether Clancy was criminally responsible for the strangulation deaths of her three children—Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and Callan, 8 months old—said it was deadlocked three times. After 38 hours of deliberations, jurors remained split 11-1, unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Reddington sought a last-minute emergency stay to send the jurors back to deliberations, but a justice at Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court swiftly denied it.

Since the mistrial, Clancy remains "suicidal" and is on 24/7 one-on-one suicide watch, Reddington said Wednesday. "She's strong. She has incredible family support," he added. "But she is suicidal. I mean, she's on 24/7, one-on-one suicide watch. I worry about her every day."

Both the defense and prosecution acknowledge that Clancy killed the children on January 24, 2023, in their Duxbury, Massachusetts home. However, Reddington has argued throughout the trial that she was compelled to act on auditory hallucinations that told her to carry out the murders, a symptom of postpartum psychosis combined with medications she was prescribed.

"That was not the Lindsay that is now living amongst us," Reddington said Wednesday. "The person that committed this atrocious act was as a result of postpartum psychosis combined with the medications that she was provided."

Postpartum psychosis is a rare but serious condition that can affect new mothers. More severe than postpartum depression, it can cause hallucinations and other intense psychological symptoms.

The trial has drawn intense public scrutiny, with dozens of people attending courthouse proceedings—many dressed in pink to show support for Lindsay Clancy. The case has spawned widespread online speculation, with some social media users falsely claiming Patrick Clancy was involved in the children's deaths, despite evidence placing him at a CVS pharmacy when the murders occurred.

According to experts, such conspiracy theories often emerge when people struggle to comprehend unfathomable tragedies and distrust institutions. Michael Wagner, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, explained that "where a mother has killed children, you're motivated to think—that can't be."

Ken Corey, a current fellow at the Chicago Police Lab and former NYPD chief, told CNN that Patrick Clancy likely would have been ruled out as a suspect early in the investigation because of his solid alibi. "He is actually elsewhere, and that's backed up, not just by surveillance video of him in the CVS," Corey explained.

Prosecutors must now decide whether to retry Clancy. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday, September 29.

Despite telling reporters last week that he was ready to retry the case, Reddington said Wednesday that he will file a motion to dismiss charges. He also said he would be open to plea discussions but would not accept a deal that landed his client in jail for even a day.

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Scott Sloan