Psychiatrist testifies that Lindsay Clancy told children “go to God”

Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial resumed Friday in Massachusetts for what could be the final day of witness testimony. The defense rested after forensic psychiatrist Dr. Phillip Resnick, a key witness in the Andrea Yates case after she killed her five children in Texas in 2001, took the stand to testify that Clancy said she felt an “external force” take over her body before the murders.

The prosecution is now offering rebuttal witnesses before the trial goes to closing arguments, as is protocol when an insanity defense is presented.

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

Clancy, 36, has pleaded not guilty to 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 home on Jan. 24, 2023. 

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington said the prosecution is set to call three rebuttal witnesses. Judge Sullivan said if all testimony concludes Friday, closing arguments could be held Monday. If testimony needs to resume on Monday, closings would likely be held Tuesday. 

Resnick testified for the defense in the 2006 Andrea Yates trial. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Resnick testified that Yates suffered from severe postpartum psychosis.

Prosecution rebuttal witnesses

The first rebuttal witness called by prosecutors was forensic psychiatrist Avram Mack. He interviewed Clancy in April, saying she seemed normal but did tear up at points. He said she wasn’t happy with the food at the Tewksbury hospital and wasn’t interested in physical therapy. 

“She described feeling miserable, not wanting to be alive,” Mack said.

Dr. Phillip Resnick testimony 

Resnick’s testimony over Zoom was delayed by technical difficulties. He explained to the jury that he recently had surgery that prevented him from flying to Massachusetts for the trial.

When testimony resumed, Resnick said he’s been involved in 80 cases where mothers and fathers have allegedly killed their children. He’s also consulted on high-profile trials including Jeffrey Dahmer, the Unabomber and Casey Anthony. 

Resnick said he did a full evaluation of Clancy about four months after the crime. He said he spent three hours interviewing Clancy and also interviewed her parents.

Resnick said Clancy appeared “somewhat matter-of-fact” and “muted,” but nurses told him she was crying daily about the loss of her children. 

He said he reviewed a psychological test that the government had Clancy take and found there was “no evidence of faking psychiatric symptoms.”

Resnick said it was his opinion that Clancy was suffering from severe depression, mild mania, and bipolar disorder as she approached the date of the crime. 

“She was clearly psychotic on that day,” Resnick said, adding that she was under the influence of a “command hallucination.”

“Not only did she hear a command, but she felt that her body was taken over by an external force where she was in a dream state and did not have control of her own body,” Resnick said. “It was almost like she was a puppet and someone else was pulling the strings.”

Resnick also said Clancy may have believed she was doing what was right for her children.

“She was obsessional about caring for her children,” he said. “She believed that she would be doing her children a favor by having them go to heaven with her rather than remain on Earth without her doing the mothering. Her mind was very distorted like that.”

During cross-examination, prosecutor Jennifer Sprague noted that in an article Resnick wrote called “Faking It,” he said command hallucinations are easy to fabricate and people often ignore the commands if they are dangerous.

Sprague also tried to highlight the differences between the Yates and Clancy cases. She said that before killing her children, Yates committed herself to a hospital five times and tried to kill herself twice after hearing voices.

“Ms. Clancy heard the voice and immediately acted, is that correct?” Sprague asked.

“No, Ms. Clancy had impulses to harm her children and she did resist until the command hallucination when she was overwhelmed,” Resnick replied.

Sprague disputed that records showed Clancy had been crying every day about her children. She also said notes showed Clancy had expressed hope about someday becoming an advocate for postpartum issues and even participating in a wheelchair marathon. 

Lindsay Clancy trial

In Clancy’s case, the prosecution alleges she planned the murders before faking a suicide attempt.  Reddington has attempted to show that Clancy should not be held criminally responsible for the murders because she was overmedicated and suffering from postpartum psychosis. 

If convicted of first-degree murder, Clancy faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. If found not criminally responsible for the deaths of her children, 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.