Watch Live: Lindsay Clancy trial resumes with prosecution psychologist calling her “criminally responsible”

Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial resumed Tuesday in Massachusetts with more testimony from a forensic psychologist hired by the prosecution.

You can watch the trial live on CBS News Boston in the embedded video or on YouTube when court is in session.

Dr. Kirk Heilbrun was back on the stand a day after his testimony was cut short when he started talking about Clancy’s Catholic religion. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington called for a mistrial. Plymouth Superior Court Judge William Sullivan denied it, but he reprimanded the prosecution for the testimony.

Reddington cross-examined Heilbrun Tuesday.

Once Heilbrun finishes his testimony, one more prosecution rebuttal witness is expected on the stand. Then, all sides will discuss the next steps in the trial. Closing arguments could be held as early as Wednesday.

Heilburn cross-examination

Reddington started his testimony by getting Heilbrun to agree that it would have been better to interview Clancy sooner rather than three years after the murders. He read through the psychologist’s lengthy resume but noted that he had never written about postpartum psychosis.

Reddington asked if he would agree that Clancy was incredible at taking care of her kids.

“I would describe her as a very good mother,” Heilburn said. 

Reddington asked if Clancy was a “happy woman” before being prescribed medication from her psychiatrist Jennifer Tufts.

“In September, she was anxious about returning to work,” Heilburn said. “She had not yet started taking the medications that Dr. Tufts had prescribed, though.”

Reddington and Heilburn went back-and-forth about why Clancy was not admitted to a program at a Rhode Island hospital for postpartum mothers. Reddington said it was because the hospital said she was overmedicated, while Heilburn said it wasn’t clear that her struggles were related to being postpartum.

“Did you really read those records?” Reddington asked.

“Yes I did,” Heilburn said.

Reddington put his hands on Clancy’s shoulders as he talked about her struggle to find the right support.

“Are you trying to tell the jury that she was avoiding help?” Reddington asked.

He also asked Heilburn about Patrick Clancy’s testimony that Lindsay said she tried to kill herself when he found her on the ground.

“If I suggest to you sir that if you listen to the 911 tape as it relates to Clancy interacting with her, that she could only make grunting noises, would you be surprised at that?”

“I would be surprised, yes,” Heilburn said.

During re-direct questioning, prosecutor Jennifer Sprague asked if it was accurate that Clancy never told any doctors that she had thoughts of harming her children. 

“That is my recollection, that she did not share that information with any medical providers,” Heilburn said.

Dr. Kirk Heilbrun testimony

Continuing his testimony on Tuesday, Heilbrun said Clancy told him there was no decision-making involved in the murders and that she was just responding to a voice. But he said, “there’s many ongoing decisions that have to be made to accomplish a killing like this in 18 to 20 minutes,” such as the location and what to say to the children.

He said in his clinical opinion, Clancy is criminally responsible for killing her children.

“She retained an awareness of the illegality of killing others, including killing her children,” Heilbrun said. “Her moral awareness of the wrongfulness of the killing was influenced by her strong desire to die and if she were dead, not to leave her children behind.”

Reddington says judge made “good effort” with jury instruction

Speaking to reporters outside court Tuesday morning, Reddington says he believes Judge Sullivan made a “good effort” in telling the jury to disregard the religious testimony. Sullivan told jurors that Heilbrun’s remarks about Clancy’s Catholic faith were “immaterial, irrelevant and to be disregarded” before sending them home for the day.

“The judge made his ruling and instructed the jury,” Reddington said. “I think it’s pretty apparent these jurors are dedicated, they’ll listen to his instruction and i have no doubt that we’ll finish the case out today.”

Reddington also lashed out at a commentator asking him a question outside court, calling him a “biased weasel.”

Lindsay Clancy trial

Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of her three children – 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan – in their Duxbury, Massachusetts home on Jan. 24, 2023. She has admitted to the killings, but her attorney said she should not be held criminally responsible because she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis.

Prosecutors said Clancy planned the murders. If she’s convicted of first-degree murder she faces life in prison without parole. If the jury determines Clancy was not criminally responsible, she will be sent to a state psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.

For more information about mental healthcare resources and support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.

In: