The only holdout juror in Lindsay Clancy’s high-profile murder trial said he had been harassed since the trial ended in September and reiterated his position that he had no reasonable doubt during deliberations.
The juror, Michael P. Desronvil, was the only one who wanted to convict Clancy in the strangulation deaths of his three children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months — in January 2023, other jurors have said since the judge declared a mistrial in the case last month.
“It was like night and day,” Desronvil said of his life before and after becoming a holdout juror.
He spoke with Kayleigh McEnany on “Fox & Friends” Thursday — his first media appearance since becoming a judge.
Other jurors described a man who they said was unwilling to negotiate and was hostile in the deliberation room. They said Desronvil insisted on finding Clancy guilty of the murders, but did not meet the standard of reasonable doubt and blocked a unanimous decision.
Through his attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, Desronvil has previously denied such claims, saying, “I had no doubt.”
“As I attempted to explain different possible theories during the deliberations, I was interrupted as if I had doubts based on the evidence presented,” Desronvil said in a statement released by Paltzik last month.
On Thursday, Desronvil said he “certainly listened” to the other jurors, but added that “certain moments in that deliberation room gave the impression that the decisions were going to lean one way.”
McEnany asked Desronvil if he had a reasonable doubt. He said, “No.” He said he had plenty of evidence to support his reasoning, but declined to share it.
He said, however, that he believed Clancy had thought about the murders, saying how he thought she had been “methodical” in executing the children.
“It was really important to me,” he added. “I thought it made sense.”
Clancy, who was accused of strangling her three young children to death using elastic bands before throwing herself out of the second story window of her home, could have been convicted of first-degree murder or found not guilty due to lack of criminal liability. The jury also could have convicted Clancy of lesser charges – second-degree murder or manslaughter.
The other 11 jurors were close to acquitting Clancy under the insanity standard, they said.
Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, argued that she was in the throes of postpartum psychosis at the time of the murders and was therefore unaware of her actions and unable to control herself.
The prosecution, however, argued that Clancy was not in psychosis when she killed her children and that she had planned the strangulations in advance.
The case made headlines around the world, and women came out in droves to support Clancy at the courthouse and online.
For those in the courtroom, one piece of evidence in particular, from her then-husband, Patrick Clancy, made an impression, Desronvil said: a recording of the 911 call he made when he found Clancy outside their home, injured after a suicide attempt.
“It was surreal,” Desronvil said of hearing this recording. “Hearing the pain in his voice, hearing the desperation in that clip, it was surreal.”
Desronvil said he realized his identity was going to be public the day after the mistrial because the holdout juror was referred to as “him” and “him” repeatedly. Desronvil was one of only three male jurors.
Since then, he said, the media has invaded his house. Even so, he acknowledged, if he was called for jury duty again, he would do so.
Reddington, speaking with NBC News last month about the holdout juror, defended Desronvil’s right to his own opinion.
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“He has every right to do that, and I would defend that right, but I would not refuse to enforce the law,” Reddington said at the time.
Desronvil has since attempted to shift attention away from himself to focus on Clancy’s children, visiting a park dedicated to the children killed with McEnany. He calls them “the three angels”.
“What I would like the world to know about me is that I care extremely about people, especially children, because children are extremely innocent,” Desronvil said.
Desronvil said he had “no idea” how widespread this case was in suburban Boston and across the country. “Even during jury selection, I had no idea about this case,” he said.
Clancy’s future is still uncertain. She remains at Tewksbury Hospital until it is determined whether she will be retried. She will return to court in November for another hearing to decide the future of the case.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in emotional distress, call or text 988, or chat on 988lifeline.org 24/7 to reach 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For additional resources, visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
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