A judge declined to remove a juror in the Lindsay Clancy case Thursday after the defendant’s attorney claimed one juror was refusing to follow legal instructions on reasonable doubt.
The decision came during the sixth day of jury deliberations in the high-profile case. Judge Sullivan brought the courtroom back into session after receiving a note from jurors indicating a potential deadlock, marking the third such notification during deliberations.
What Happened in Court
Sullivan questioned all 12 jurors individually under oath at the sidebar following the jury’s note, with the questioning inaudible to those watching the livestream. Clancy, who sat in a wheelchair, was present during the individual questioning of jurors.
After the questioning concluded, Sullivan delivered another instruction to the full jury regarding the legal standard of reasonable doubt. “You are required to follow my instructions on the law as I gave them,” Sullivan stated, reminding jurors that defendants are presumed innocent and prosecutors bear the burden of proof.
The Defense’s Motion
After the jury left the courtroom, defense attorney Reddington requested that Sullivan remove the juror he believed was refusing to follow legal instructions. “My motion is to remove this juror that refuses to listen to your instruction on reasonable doubt,” Reddington told the judge, arguing the issue was not a difference in evidence interpretation but a refusal to apply the law.
Reddington suggested the foreperson’s note indicated an 11-1 split, with one juror allegedly resisting the judge’s directions on how to evaluate the evidence.
The Judge’s Decision
Sullivan rejected the motion to remove the juror. “I don’t feel that it is proper for me to side with one side or the other of the deliberations,” Sullivan said. “I don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to say, I agree with one juror or the 11.”
Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague opposed removing the juror, arguing that determining which juror’s interpretation was correct would require improper examination of confidential jury deliberations. “There’s no way to determine what the deliberations are, who’s correct, who’s incorrect, and nor should we attempt to,” Sprague said.
The jury returned to deliberations following Sullivan’s decision.
