Lawyer for Lindsay Clancy Holdout Juror Denies Claims of Lawbreaking

Attorney Edward Paltzik says Michael Desronvil, the lone holdout juror in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial, had “zero doubt” and substantial evidence supporting his view that she was criminally responsible. That account conflicts with the jury foreperson’s allegation that Desronvil acknowledged reasonable doubt but would not apply the legal standard, as well as other jurors’ criticism of his conduct during deliberations. After seven days of deliberations, the jury remained split: 11 jurors favored finding Clancy not criminally responsible, while Desronvil sought a conviction, resulting in a mistrial. Clancy admitted killing her three children in January 2023; her defense cited postpartum psychosis, while prosecutors argued she understood and planned her actions. Prosecutors have not announced whether they will retry the case, and Clancy is scheduled to return to court Sept. 29.
Desronvil later said physical evidence and witness testimony convinced him that Clancy knew what she was doing.
Juror Paula Devlin described Desronvil as “very arrogant” and said jurors repeatedly reviewed medical and toxicology evidence in an effort to address his concerns.
The trial involved more than five weeks of testimony before the jury deliberated for seven days without reaching a unanimous verdict.
The case prompted wider debate about postpartum psychosis, women’s mental-health care and how the criminal justice system treats defendants with mental illness.
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