Judge rejects defense witness from testifying in Lindsay Clancy murder trial

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — The judge has rejected a witness from testifying for Lindsay Clancy’s defense team.

Judge William Sullivan rejected Defense Attorney Kevin Reddington’s request for Emily Thorndike to testify after she argued on a TikTok video that jurors were left with a favorable impression of McLean Hospital, where Clancy checked herself in on New Year’s Eve of 2022.

A voir dire was conducted on Thorndike while the jury sat outside the courtroom.

Reddington had tracked Thorndike down after she created the video discussing her experience working at McLean.

She worked in the same unit where Clancy stayed for 7 years and characterized the prosecution’s statements about McLean as “misleading.”

Reddington argued that Thorndike had knowledge about staffing levels during the holidays when Clancy was a patient at the hospital, although Thorndike had left about a year before Clancy was admitted.

Thorndike said one doctor often saw many patients during the holidays and that some visits could last as little as one minute. She said that, after reviewing the records, the staffing levels had not changed since she left.

Thorndike left McLean after being there for 7 years. She left a little more than a year before #LindsayClancy arrived. She was in same unit, Lindsay was in a year later. She said McLean weekend/holiday staffing has not changed. @boston25
— Bob Ward Boston 25 (@Bward3) August 19, 2026

The prosecution objected to her testimony, arguing that Thorndike had been gone from the hospital for more than a year before Clancy’s stay. They also argued that their own witness who worked at McLean had already testified about staffing.

The prosecution also questioned Thorndike about watching the livestream of the trial.

Although he rejected her testimony, the judge said Thorndike was credible. He did allow records regarding staffing levels at McLean into evidence.

Lindsay Clancy is charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of her children. If found guilty, she faces life in prison. Her attorney is arguing that she should not be found criminally responsible because she was experiencing postpartum psychosis.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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