Lawyer Asks Trump to Pardon Mom Who Killed Her Three Kids
Intra-Party Split Detected
Most right-leaning coverage criticizes Clancy's defense and lawyer's tactics as performative, while Trump himself (also right-aligned) has publicly emphasized she must 'pay a price,' showing varied conservative reactions rather than uniform sympathy for a pardon.
Left says
- •Clancy's case highlights how postpartum psychosis is often misunderstood by the legal system, and advocates emphasize she was experiencing a severe mental health crisis rather than acting with criminal intent.
- •The near-unanimous jury split (11-1) suggests substantial doubt existed about her criminal responsibility, and some worry a single holdout overrode a broader consensus for leniency.
- •The plea for a pardon, while legally misdirected, reflects genuine desperation from a defense team trying to spare a traumatized, paralyzed woman from further prosecution.
- •Focusing on maternal mental health resources and postpartum support systems could be a more constructive response than simply punishing Clancy further.
Right says
- •Clancy strangled her three young children with exercise bands, and no one, including her own attorney, disputes that she committed the killings.
- •Reddington's appeal to Trump reveals a basic misunderstanding of presidential authority, since only Massachusetts' governor could grant clemency for state charges.
- •Reddington's courtroom theatrics, including suggesting the holdout juror may have been biased against disabled people, are seen as inappropriate attempts to discredit a juror simply doing his job.
- •Trump's own comments that Clancy did a 'horrible, horrible thing' and must face a 'price to pay' reflect a broader insistence that severe consequences are warranted regardless of her circumstances.
Common Take
High Consensus- Clancy strangled her three children, ages 5, 3, and 8 months, in the basement of their Duxbury, Massachusetts home in January 2023.
- The jury deadlocked 11-1 after over a week of deliberations, resulting in a mistrial declared by Judge William Sullivan on September 4.
- Trump has no legal authority to pardon Clancy because she faces state charges, not federal ones, meaning only Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey could grant clemency.
- The case has drawn intense national attention and sparked debate over postpartum psychosis, maternal mental health, and criminal responsibility.
The Arguments
Left argues
The 11-1 jury split suggests nearly all jurors found substantial doubt about Clancy's criminal responsibility given the documented severity of her postpartum psychosis, and treating her case as a straightforward murder ignores the medical evidence presented at trial.
Right counters
Regardless of the jury split, Clancy does not dispute that she deliberately strangled three specific children with exercise bands and waited until her husband left the house, facts that go to premeditation independent of her mental state.
Right argues
Reddington's appeal to Trump for a pardon reflects either a fundamental misunderstanding of the separation between state and federal jurisdiction or a cynical bid for media attention, since every legal expert agrees only Massachusetts' governor could act.
Left counters
Even legally misdirected, the plea can be read as a desperate defense attorney trying every available avenue to protect a traumatized, paralyzed client from further prosecution, not as a serious legal filing.
Right argues
Reddington's suggestion that the holdout juror may have been biased against people with disabilities was an inappropriate attempt to delegitimize a juror who was simply applying the reasonable-doubt standard as instructed.
Left counters
Reddington's frustration stems from his belief that the juror acknowledged reasonable doubt existed yet still refused to vote to acquit, which if true would represent a genuine breakdown in following jury instructions, not just sour grapes.
Left argues
Advocates argue the case should refocus public attention on inadequate postpartum mental health screening and support systems, since punishing Clancy further does nothing to prevent future tragedies rooted in untreated psychiatric crises.
Right counters
Sympathy for maternal mental health struggles cannot erase the fact that three specific, named children are dead, and the legal system exists to hold people accountable for taking lives regardless of the sympathetic narrative built around the defendant.
Right argues
Trump's own remarks that Clancy did a 'horrible, horrible thing' and must face a 'price to pay' reflect a plain-spoken insistence that severe consequences remain warranted, undercutting the idea that mental illness alone should determine the outcome.
Left counters
Trump weighing in with a punitive judgment before any retrial or plea agreement risks prejudicing the proceedings and reflects surface-level public commentary rather than an informed legal or psychiatric assessment of Clancy's actual culpability.
Challenge Questions
These questions target genuine internal contradictions — meant to provoke honest reflection.
Right asks Left
“If postpartum psychosis is severe enough to excuse the deliberate killing of three children, what legal standard would you propose to distinguish Clancy's case from other killings where defendants claim diminished mental capacity, without effectively eliminating accountability for the act itself?”
Left asks Right
“If commentators insist Reddington's pardon request reveals basic legal ignorance, how do you reconcile that with his four decades of criminal defense experience, and could the request instead be a calculated media strategy to pressure the DA rather than a genuine legal misunderstanding?”
Outlier Report
Left Fringe
Some progressive commentators and postpartum mental health advocates (e.g., maternal mental health nonprofits, some Guardian opinion writers) argue Clancy is primarily a victim of an inadequate mental health system and downplay culpability entirely; this represents maybe 10-15% of the left.
Right Fringe
Some commentators like those at PJ Media and RedState mock Reddington personally and imply Clancy deserves maximum punishment with little acknowledgment of psychosis as mitigating, representing a vocal but not universal segment (~20-25%) of the right; more mainstream conservative views (including Trump's own comments) leave some room for mental illness as a factor while still insisting on serious consequences.
Noise Assessment
High — much of the online conversation is driven by viral courtroom clips, cable news amplification, and outlet-specific framing (e.g., 'pink-shirted brigade' descriptions, mockery of Reddington) rather than reflecting nuanced public sentiment; actual public opinion is likely more centrist and case-specific than the polarized media commentary suggests.
Sources (20)
During an appearance on Good Morning America, Kevin Reddington also asked Trump to pardon Clancy.
Clancy pleaded not guilty to three murder charges for the deaths of her three children.
Mother Accused Of Killing Son Said Lindsay Clancy Case ‘Inspired’ Her
Attorney Kevin Reddington wasted no time in moving on to his next case, confirming during a Friday press conference that he would be defending another Massachusetts woman — this one accused of killing her own grandmother for money. After Friday’s announcement confirming a hung jury and a mistrial for Lindsay Clancy — in the murders ...
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Clancy's murder trial in connecting to the 2023 deaths of her young children ended last week in a mistrial.
Lindsay Clancy’s defense lawyer Kevin Reddington directly appealed to President Trump early Tuesday following Friday's mistrial.
<img alt="Lindsay Clancy defense attorney Kevin Reddington" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" src="https://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-04-at-4.20.21-PM-scaled-e1788553345414-1200x675.png" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;" />The judge overseeing the Lindsay Clancy case declared a mistrial Friday after only a single juror prevented a unanimous verdict, purportedly because he was willing to convict the self-admitted baby killer. In a seeming bid to discredit the juror, Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, appeared to suggest the holdout juror might be bigoted against disabled […]
<img src="https://www.theblaze.com/media-library/lindsay-clancys-lawyer-appeals-directly-to-trump-after-mistrial-but-there-s-a-major-problem.jpg?id=67739152&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C20%2C0%2C99" /><br /><br /><p>The attorney for Lindsay Clancy is begging the most powerful man on the planet to intercede on behalf of his client.</p><p>On Friday, Judge William Sullivan of Plymouth Superior Court in Massachusetts declared a <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/lindsay-clancy-jury" target="_blank">mistrial</a> in Clancy's case after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict about whether to hold her criminally responsible in the deaths of her three children. Her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, did not deny that she strangled the three children but argued that she acted out of postpartum psychosis and overmedication rather than criminal malice.</p><p class="pull-quote">'<span style="background-color: initial;">Mr. </span><span style="background-color: initial;">President, I would hope that you would consider this young lady, the type of person she is, what she's been through.'</span></p><p>The case has captivated the nation, and even President Donald Trump weighed in on it. "She did a horrible, horrible thing. Can't be worse," he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-JLwayEeZLw" target="_blank">said</a> shortly after the mistrial was declared, adding that there will be a "price to pay."</p><p>"It's going to be mental institution or jail or something."</p><p>During the trial, Reddington <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYpmSv9sNhA&rco=1" target="_blank">described</a> Clancy as "one heck of a mother" who "loved her children." Outside of court, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSx5JSj_RQ0" target="_blank">claimed</a> that "sh<span style="background-color: initial;">e's very concerned about women's rights" and "the </span><span style="background-color: initial;">fact that women are pretty much marginalized."</span></p><p><span style="background-color: initial;">Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz has not yet <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/04/us/clancy-prosecutor-timothy-cruz.html" target="_blank">announced</a> whether the case will be retried.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: initial;"><strong>RELATED: </strong></span><a href="https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/gloria-steinem-is-gone-lindsay-clancy-is-still-here" target="_self"><strong>Gloria Steinem is gone. Lindsay Clancy is still here.</strong></a></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"> <span class="rm-shortcode" style="display: block; padding-top: 56.25%;"></span> </p><p><span style="background-color: initial;">On Tuesday, Reddington appeared with George Stephanopoulos on "<a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/lindsay-clancys-attorney-kevin-reddington-asks-trump-pardon-136258585" target="_blank">Good Morning America</a>" and indicated that he might be willing to entertain a plea deal:</span></p><blockquote><span style="background-color: initial;"></span><span style="background-color: initial;">I'm willing to listen to Tim. I've known Tim for 30 years. He's a very hard-charging prosecutor, a </span><span style="background-color: initial;">conservative gentleman. I hope, however, after sitting through this trial and seeing the evidence that was presented </span><span style="background-color: initial;">from the government as well as from the defense that he would revisit that issue and hopefully would be able to work something out that would be acceptable to both sides.</span></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: initial;">Reddington also called upon Trump to step in and "pardon" Lindsay Clancy:</span></p><blockquote><span style="background-color: initial;"></span><span style="background-color: initial;">I'd like to say that perhaps Donald Trump, who felt compelled to speak out about this case, may very well, Mr. </span><span style="background-color: initial;">President, I would hope that you would consider this young lady, the type of person she is, what she's been through, and consider a pardon.</span></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: initial;">It is unclear how Trump might be able to pardon Clancy, even if she is convicted.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: initial;">The Commonwealth of Massachusetts charged Clancy, not the federal government. If Cruz decides to retry the case or reach a plea deal, it will still be a state case and not a federal one, so all pardoning powers will rest with the governor of Massachusetts.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: initial;">Blaze News reached out to the White House and to the office of Gov. Maura Healey (D) for comment.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: initial;"><em>Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. </em><em><a href="https://www.theblaze.com/newsletters/theblaze-articlelink" target="_self">Sign up here</a></em><em>!</em></span></p>
<p>Tuesday, during an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Lindsay Clancy's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, urged President Donald Trump to grant his client a presidential pardon.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/09/08/lindsay-clancy-attorney-kevin-reddington-calls-on-trump-to-pardon-client/" rel="nofollow">Lindsay Clancy Attorney Kevin Reddington Calls on Trump to Pardon Client</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.breitbart.com" rel="nofollow">Breitbart</a>.</p>
‘She did a horrible, horrible thing.’
Lindsay Clancy’s defense attorney is asking President Donald Trump to pardon his client after a Massachusetts jury deadlocked over whether she was criminally responsible for fatally strangling her three young children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan. In an interview with “Good Morning America” that aired on Tuesday, Kevin Reddington made an unusual request ...
Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s defense attorney, spoke out for the first time since her state murder trial ended in a mistrial, calling on President Trump to pardon his client. NBC News' Danny Cevallos explains the legal limits of the request.
Lindsay Clancy’s attorney spoke out for the first time Tuesday since her state murder trial ended in a mistrial, including calling on President Donald Trump to pardon his client.
Lindsay Clancy's attorney has asked President Donald Trump to pardon his client, days after her murder trial ended in a mistrial.
<p>Attorney hopes Trump would consider clemency given ‘the type of person she is’ and ‘what she has been through’</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/05/lindsay-clancy-murder-trial-retrial">Murder trial ends in dramatic deadlock – what comes next</a></p><p>The lawyer of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/07/lindsay-clancy-case-rorschach-test">Lindsay Clancy</a>, the Massachusetts woman accused of killing her three young children, has said he hopes Donald Trump will pardon his client after her trial recently ended with a deadlocked jury.</p><p>Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, made the appeal on a televised interview on the ABC show Good Morning America on Tuesday. The plea comes to Trump after a judge on Friday <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/04/lindsay-clancy-mistrial">declared a mistrial after the jury in the Clancy case could not reach a unanimous verdict</a> on whether she was guilty or not guilty.</p><p><em>In the US, the <a href="https://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs-impact/national-maternal-mental-health-hotline">national maternal mental health hotline</a> is 1-833-852-6262. In the UK, the <a href="https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/">Pandas foundation</a> offers support via Whatsapp on 07903 508334. In Australia, the <a href="https://www.panda.org.au/">national maternal and perinatal mental health hotline</a> is 1300 726 306</em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/08/lindsay-clancy-mistrial-lawyer-appeal-trump-pardon">Continue reading...</a>
Following the mistrial, prosecutors have the option of retrying the case, making a plea deal or dropping the charges.
Kevin Reddington also said he hoped to arrange an agreement with prosecutors that would be “acceptable to both sides.”