Clancy holdout juror mimicked strangling during deliberations, juror claims

Nick Dargie, 25, a juror in the Lindsay Clancy trial, speaks with ABC News’ Aaron Katersky on Sept. 9, 2026. (ABC News)

(NEW YORK) — A juror in the trial of Lindsay Clancy is sharing new details about what he said happened inside the jury room that led to a mistrial in the case of the Massachusetts woman facing first-degree murder charges for the 2023 deaths of her three young children.

Nick Dargie, one of the three men on the 12-person jury, told ABC News’ Aaron Katersky that the lone holdout juror who prevented a unanimous verdict did not show any evidence explaining his vote.

“There was several times I would ask him to show us evidence or, you know, describe a witness testimony that helped to prove what he was saying, and … he couldn’t,” Dargie, 25, said in an interview that aired Thursday on “Good Morning America.”

Jury deliberations eventually yielded an 11-1 split in favor of not guilty by reason of insanity, but the final juror would not change his position favoring conviction, despite expressing reasonable doubt, according to Dargie and three other jurors who also spoke out publicly.

“There wasn’t a single piece of evidence or witness testimony that he used to prove why he was thinking the way he was, which is why we ultimately sent in that note,” Dargie said, referring to a note the jury foreperson gave to Judge William Sullivan, leading him to declare a mistrial. “Otherwise, like there’s nothing wrong with somebody having a completely opposite opinion … that would be a hung jury. That is our justice system.”

Clancy pleaded not guilty to three murder charges for the deaths of her 5-year-old daughter Cora, 3-year-old son Dawson and infant son Callan at the family’s home in Duxbury, a Boston suburb, on Jan. 24, 2023.

The former nurse attempted suicide on the night of her children’s deaths, leaving her paralyzed and in a wheelchair, according to state prosecutors.

Her five-week trial ended in a mistrial on Sept. 4, after a week of deliberations.

Throughout Clancy’s trial, much of the testimony centered on whether or not she was suffering from postpartum psychosis — considered a psychiatric emergency, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — when she strangled her children and attempted to take her own life, and whether she should be held criminally liable for the killings.

Jurors in Massachusetts are instructed that in order to prove a defendant is criminally responsible for their conduct, prosecutors must “prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not suffer from a mental disease or defect at the time of the alleged offense,” according to the Massachusetts Court System.

Dargie said the holdout juror, who has not been publicly identified, often “wouldn’t engage” with fellow jurors, and would spend time “scrolling on his phone” during deliberations.

Dargie said at one point he confronted the juror during deliberations when he claims the man picked up the exercise band Clancy used to strangle her children. The band was presented as an exhibit during the trial.

“He took the exercise band out of the bag, grabbed an empty water bottle, and tied the band around the water bottle and pulled it,” Dargie said, adding that he asked the juror, “Why are you doing that?”

“I was shocked. It didn’t make any sense to me,” Dargie said. “We’re not in here to play detective or it’s not a game of ‘Clue.’ This is serious.”

Dargie — a military veteran who was deployed internationally at the time Clancy was charged with the deaths of her children — said he was dismayed to learn after the trial about online conspiracies falsely accusing Clancy’s ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, of murdering their children.

Patrick Clancy’s attorney issued a statement on Tuesday calling for an end to the conspiracy theories, saying, “Enough is enough.”

“This spread of blatant and baseless falsehoods must stop,” Howard Cooper, Patrick Clancy’s attorney, said in a statement. “Those responsible should understand that there will be consequences, and every appropriate measure will be pursued to hold them accountable, including legally. Law enforcement has been notified.”

Lindsay Clancy’s attorney Kevin Reddington has also defended Patrick Clancy, calling the false conspiracy theories about him “reprehensible.”

“He was by her side. He talked to these doctors. He told one of them that you’re turning her into a zombie, and he was with her literally days after and forgave her,” Reddington told Katersky in an interview earlier this week. “I think what’s happened to that man is reprehensible.”

Dargie said the trial haunts him still, particularly the 911 call that Patrick Clancy made after finding his children. The 911 call was played in the courtroom but was not broadcast publicly under order of the judge.

“I’ve never heard something like that, like a scream like that come out of someone’s mouth. It’s horrifying,” Dargie said of the 911 call, adding of the conspiracies surrounding Patrick Clancy, “I think if everyone heard that 911 call, they would change their mind.”

Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has not yet announced a decision on whether to retry Lindsay Clancy.

“I appreciate the fact that there are strong feelings and opinions tied to this case,” Cruz said outside the courthouse on Sept. 4, when the mistrial was declared. “However, our job is to set aside our feelings and focus solely on the facts. The facts are Lindsay Clancy killed her three children and the evidence suggested to us that she was in control of her actions when she committed those homicides.”

The two sides are scheduled to be in court on Sept. 29 to determine next steps following the mistrial.

Dargie said he believes if Lindsay Clancy is tried again, she would not be found criminally responsible.

“I think if they tried the trial again the way they did, I think nine times out of 10, I think a jury would come back with not guilty by reason of insanity,” he said. “No doubt in my mind.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not on your own.

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