The mistrial in Lindsay Clancy's triple-murder case keeps generating fallout more than a week later: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now offering the case's lone holdout juror “asylum” after a local NBC affiliate dug into his past, while Clancy's own attorney is publicly asking President Trump for a pardon he says he can't legally grant.
Why it matters: The case has become a flashpoint over juror privacy and media conduct, with a sitting governor accusing a legacy outlet of trying to intimidate future jurors nationwide — even as prosecutors still haven’t said whether they’ll retry Clancy at all. RedState reports.
Driving the news:
Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Sept. 4 after jurors deadlocked 11-1 following more than 38 hours of deliberation on first-degree murder charges against Clancy, who has admitted to strangling her three children in January 2023.
An NBC Boston investigation into the holdout juror’s background reported a 2021 domestic assault accusation against him that was later dismissed, an active restraining order sought by a nephew, and a landlord’s eviction judgment secured during deliberations — details relayed by the Daily Caller, which noted the outlet withheld his name.
DeSantis responded on X, accusing NBC of trying to “smear” a juror “whose identity should be protected” and calling it “another low for legacy media,” offering Florida “asylum” if the juror faces harassment. The Gateway Pundit has the full post.
Separately, Clancy attorney Kevin Reddington publicly asked Trump for a pardon in a Good Morning America interview; Trump told reporters the case is “a state situation, not a federal one,” adding, “There’s no winner there,” per the Washington Examiner.
By the numbers:
11-1 — the jury's final split after more than 38 hours of deliberation.
$12,000+ — the eviction judgment a landlord won against the holdout juror during deliberations, per reporting relayed by the Daily Caller.
3 — the number of children, all under age 6, Clancy admitted to strangling in January 2023.
Sept. 29 — the date of the next status and motion hearing in Plymouth County, per Fox News.
What they’re saying: “A man objected to allowing a woman to kill her three young kids and get away with it, so NBC is trying to smear that juror, whose identity should be protected. Another low for legacy media,” DeSantis wrote on X, adding, “If the juror is being harassed, Florida will provide asylum — I’m sure he’d be welcomed and appreciated.” Trump, asked about a pardon, called the case “a state situation, not a federal one” and said, “There’s no winner there,” per the Washington Examiner.
The other side: NBC Boston’s Sue O’Connell defended the reporting as standard journalism rather than a targeted takedown: “So why the surprise when, after careful vetting, deep investigation, patience, some good old-fashioned door-knocking, court visits, and shoe leather…one of them becomes a story?” she wrote, per Newsbusters.
What's next:
Plymouth County DA Timothy Cruz hasn’t said whether he’ll retry Clancy; a status hearing and a motion hearing on her criminal-responsibility finding are set for Sept. 29, per Fox News.
Defense attorney Peter Elikann told Fox News a plea deal is plausible given the DA’s office’s reluctance to typically cut deals and the difficulty of getting a unanimous first-degree murder verdict from a new jury; Reddington has said he hopes to “work something out.”
The bottom line: A hung jury over an insanity defense has turned into a proxy fight over media conduct and jury secrecy — with the underlying question of whether Clancy will ever face a verdict still unresolved.
Go deeper:
Daily Caller: Florida Governor DeSantis Offers 'Asylum' To Holdout Lindsay Clancy Juror
RedState: NBC News 'Doxxes' Lone Holdout Juror, and Ron DeSantis Makes Him an Offer
Washington Examiner: Trump responds to question about Lindsay Clancy pardon
Newsbusters: NBC Affiliate Gives Mob All Info Needed to Hunt Holdout Clancy Juror