Nationwide — Michael P. Desronvil, an African American juror from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, was the only juror who disagreed with the other 11 members of the Lindsay Clancy murder trial jury. His decision prevented the panel from reaching a unanimous verdict after seven days of deliberations and led the judge to declare a mistrial. He is now speaking publicly about why he reached a different conclusion from the rest of the jury.
The 48-year-old juror said he “didn’t have any doubts” that Clancy was criminally responsible for the deaths of her three children. In a statement released through his representatives, he said the physical evidence, testimony from key witnesses, and other evidence presented by prosecutors convinced him that Clancy knew what she was doing and had planned the killings, according to The Root. He also said he tried to raise alternative theories during deliberations but was repeatedly cut off by other jurors.
The case involved the January 2023 deaths of Clancy’s three children at the family’s Massachusetts home. Clancy, a former labor-and-delivery nurse, admitted to strangling the children but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Her defense argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time and could not be held criminally responsible. Prosecutors argued that she understood her actions and had planned the killings.
The jury ultimately split 11-1, with Desronvil refusing to join the other 11 jurors. Roni Carlson, the jury foreperson, later said Desronvil acknowledged at one point that he had reasonable doubt but still would not vote for a finding that Clancy was not guilty by reason of insanity. Another juror said Desronvil did not fully engage with the panel’s arguments, while another said jurors tried to explain the legal standard to him. Those accounts came from jurors describing what happened during deliberations and were not findings made by the court.
The mistrial has also brought renewed attention to Desronvil’s past. Court records show he was charged in 2021 in an assault-related case involving his then-wife. He pleaded not guilty, and the case was later dismissed without a conviction. A restraining order reportedly requested by his nephew was active when the Clancy trial began in July 2026. The filing alleged that Desronvil was involved in a physical altercation with his nephew in 2025. He has not been convicted of those allegations. Meanwhile, a fundraiser launched after the mistrial has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, with recent reports putting the total above $350,000.
Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on September 4 after the jury repeatedly said it could not reach a unanimous decision. Clancy’s defense later sought further action over Desronvil’s role in the deadlocked jury, but Massachusetts’ highest court rejected the appeal. The case remains unresolved, and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has not said whether prosecutors will seek a new trial. The next hearing is scheduled for September 29.