The Lindsay Clancy murder trial delivered a short but consequential day of testimony Thursday, with jurors hearing emotional accounts from a hospital chaplain, while attorneys clashed over whether the jury should be instructed on intoxication. Judge Robert William Sullivan said during Day 17 of the trial that closing arguments are likely early next week. Clancy was charged with three counts of murder (with potential sentences of life in prison without parole or life in prison with parole eligibility after 15-25 years) and three counts of strangulation (with potential penalties of up to five years in state prison per count) in the deaths of her three children—Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months—in 2023.
Representatives for the prosecution and defense are restricted from commenting outside Plymouth County Superior Court in Plymouth, Massachusetts, because of the ongoing trial. Here are the biggest moments from Day 17. Sheila Cavanaugh, a chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, testified that during her early visits with Clancy, the defendant told her she had heard a "persistent male voice" issuing commands.
According to Cavanaugh, Clancy said the voice warned that “if she did not follow the command, neither she nor her children would be safe.” Cavanaugh said the topic surfaced “several times” across roughly 14 visits at Brigham and continued during Clancy’s stays at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Tewksbury State Hospital. The testimony adds another layer to the defense’s argument that Clancy was experiencing a severe mental break in the days leading to the killings. During cross‑examination, prosecutors zeroed in on a key inconsistency: Despite Cavanaugh’s claim that Clancy repeatedly discussed hearing a voice, none of her hospital notes mention it.
Prosecutors pointed out that Cavanaugh’s notes include other direct quotes from Clancy—including fears about walking again and feelings of hopefulness—but nothing about auditory hallucinations. Cavanaugh responded that chaplain notes are not “verbatim transcripts” and that her role is to “bear witness to suffering,” not evaluate patients clinically. The prosecution countered that she still chose to include other quotes, raising questions about why this one was omitted.
Cavanaugh testified that Clancy frequently spoke about her children and carried “immense grief,” a characterization the prosecution objected to but the judge allowed. She described Clancy as “covered in medical armor” during their first meeting—intubated, bandaged and wearing a neck brace—and said Clancy told her, “I am so glad my children are safe.” Cavanaugh said she continued visiting Clancy weekly at Tewksbury, estimating that she has seen her “perhaps 200 times,” and that Clancy’s grief “continues presently.” After jurors were dismissed for the day, attorneys returned for a preliminary charge conference that quickly turned tense. Prosecutors argued that the judge should not instruct the jury on intoxication, saying that “there’s been no evidence of intoxication by drugs or alcohol during the killings.” They emphasized that Clancy’s prescribed medications were low‑dose and that any side effects occurred weeks before the incident.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington pushed back sharply, calling the case “clearly an involuntary intoxication defense.” He argued that overprescription, medication changes and abrupt cessation could have directly affected Clancy’s mental state. The judge did not rule but indicated he would provide a draft set of instructions Friday. Sullivan told attorneys that he anticipates closing arguments early next week, likely Monday or Tuesday, though he’s open to giving both sides an extra day if needed.
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