PLYMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - More mental health experts hired by the District Attorney’s Office have now testified that Lindsay Clancy did have a mental health issue when she killed her three children in January 2023, but said she knew right from wrong in the moment.
Dr. Kirk Heilbrun, a forensic psychologist and professor at Drexel University, took the stand for the second day as an expert prosecution witness. Heilbrun’s testimony was cut short Monday after he brought up Clancy’s religion, prompting her defense team to call for a mistrial. Judge William Sullivan denied the request, but told the jury to disregard all religious testimony.
“She retained an awareness of the illegality of killing people, including killing her children,” Heilbrun said Tuesday. “My clinical opinion is that she was criminally responsible on January 24.”
Heilbrun concluded that Clancy did not have a psychotic meltdown, but was motivated by her intent to commit suicide and take her children with her, because she loved them, and felt they’d be better off dead than living without her.
Dr. Gregory Saathoff, a forensic psychologist with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and professor at the University of Virginia Medical School, was the last witness in the trial. He took the stand Tuesday afternoon.
Saathoff testified that he conducted interviews with Clancy via Zoom in late May and early June, 2026. He told the jury that Clancy reported hearing a male voice repeatedly telling her to kill her children shortly after she spoke to her then-husband Patrick Clancy on the phone while he went out to pick up dinner and a prescription on the night of her childrens’ deaths.
“‘This is your last chance, you have to kill your kids and then kill yourself,'” Saathoff repeated what Clancy reported hearing.
He said Clancy reported hearing the voices only during the killings, and then they stopped immediately after. He also noted other inconsistencies in Clancy’s testimony.
“Committing the act is not curative of the voice. I’ve not ever seen that,” Saathoff said.
Saathoff will continue his testimony Wednesday morning. Closing arguments are expected to be given on Thursday.
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