The holdout juror who deadlocked Lindsay Clancy’s trial had an active restraining order against him and a history of alleged domestic violence when he was seated on the panel.
The still-unnamed juror, described only as a Black man in his 30s, was arrested in September 2021 on a criminal charge for allegedly assaulting his wife, according to a police report. A 13-year-old nephew called 911 during that incident, telling dispatchers that his uncle grabbed his wife by the throat and threw her into a dresser. The juror’s own mother repeatedly screamed, “You’re evil!” as he was handcuffed, the report stated.
Court records show the juror later divorced his wife, and the criminal charge was dismissed. His ex-wife told NBC10 Boston she abandoned the case because she feared testifying could cost her custody of her daughter.
Last year, the same nephew obtained a restraining order against the juror, alleging he was pushed to the ground and punched in the face. In an affidavit, the nephew claimed his uncle told him, “You ruined my (expletive) life” for calling police in 2021, and added, “You’ve had this coming your way for a long time.” That restraining order remained active when the juror was selected for Clancy’s trial and throughout six weeks of testimony.
A Massachusetts juror questionnaire asks whether a prospective panelist has been arrested, charged with a crime, or served with a court order — all conditions the holdout juror should have disclosed.
“I don’t see how they would’ve allowed him to be a member of this jury,” legal analyst Michael Coyne told NBC10 Boston.
The juror’s domestic history surfaced alongside disturbing new details about his conduct during deliberations. Fellow panelist Nick Dargie, 25, said’s “Good Morning America” in an interview that aired Thursday that the holdout juror wrapped one of the exercise bands Clancy used to kill her children around a water bottle to mimic strangulation in the deliberation room.
“I was so shocked. We’re not here to play detective – it’s not a game of Clue. This is serious,” Dargie said.
“I asked him why are you doing that? That’s a band that was used to strangle a child. That’s disgusting.”
Dargie, who was identified as juror number 10, said the man also appeared disengaged during deliberations and refused to explain his refusal to join the 11 other jurors who found Clancy not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. The holdout’s stance forced Judge Beverly Cannone to declare a mistrial in the case that had riveted Massachusetts.
A family member described the juror to NBC10 Boston as “a narcissist” who had become estranged from relatives, adding that she believed he should not have served on the high-profile panel. The man also faces a pending eviction case filed by his landlord for $12,000 in unpaid rent, according to the outlet.
Clancy, 36, a former pediatric nurse, remains at Tewksbury Hospital, a state-run psychiatric facility. Her next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29.