Lindsay Clancy returns to court in a bid to dismiss charges she killed her three young children

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Lindsay Clancy 's lawyer urged a judge Monday to either the dismiss the murder charges against her, or get on with the business of putting her back on trial.

This was the second time the Massachusetts mother has been in court since her first trial with ended with a deadlocked jury unable to agree whether she was legally responsible for killing her three young children. Jurors were split 11-1 in favor of acquittal when the judge declared a mistrial.

Clancy's defense team moved to dismiss the charges on double jeopardy grounds, based on an unusual argument that the judge should have removed the one juror who favored conviction, then allowed jury deliberations to continue.

Judge William Sullivan did not immediately rule on Monday. Clancy's lawyer, Kevin Reddington, implored him to decide quickly, and also pressed the Plymouth District Attorney to reveal soon whether he plans to try Clancy on murder charges again.

“I am not going to have this woman sit incarcerated for the next year, or two or three,” Reddington said. Putting aside his sharp disagreement with the judge about the way the first trial ended, he said he wants Sullivan to preside over a second trial, if one happens. “I want a trial and I want it with you and I want it this spring.”

Sullivan scheduled another hearing for Nov. 16 and suggested a retrial could begin in March.

Prosecutors said they intend to retry Clancy if the case proceeds, but haven’t yet settled on whether they would pursue the same charges, or opt for a reduced charge that might be more palatable for the jury.

Clancy's lawyer has argued that she had postpartum psychosis and was unable to control her behavior when she killed her three children in 2023. Prosecutors have acknowledged that Clancy had mental health problems, but said she acted deliberately and understood her actions were wrong.

Reddington has staked part of his post-trial defense on assailing the one juror who wanted to convict Clancy.

He urged the judge again on Monday to investigate that juror, whom he accused of being untruthful on his jury questionnaire and improperly using his cell phone during jury deliberations.

At one point, Sullivan admonished Reddington to stop using the juror's name in open court. Sullivan has a standing order sealing the names of the jurors temporarily to protect them from harassment — though several have done media interviews, including the holdout, Michael Desronvil. Reddington protested that the juror's name “was all over the internet.”

“Why don’t we all dial this back a little bit,” Sullivan said at one point.

Another of Clancy's lawyers, Martin Weinberg, argued Monday that a mistrial could have been avoided had the judge more thoroughly interrogated jurors about their breakdown in deliberations after the foreperson sent two notes indicating that the lone holdout wasn't following the court's instructions on reasonable doubt.

After receiving the notes, Sullivan spoke with each juror, reminded them of their duties and explained what constitutes reasonable doubt. He asked whether they could apply the law to the case, and all said yes.

Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague argued Monday that Sullivan had struck the right balance — and that pressing further would have required delving into the substance of the jury’s deliberations, which isn't allowed.

Desronvil said in a recent interview that he was certain of Clancy’s guilt, but other jurors wouldn't listen.

His lawyer, Heather O’Connor, urged the judge Monday not to investigate his conduct any further, saying he had simply done his duty as a juror.

She disputed the allegations of improper cellphone use, saying all jurors were allowed to keep their phones and there was no evidence Desronvil had used his device to improperly research the case.

“If that’s enough to put a juror under oath, to search their phone, to pull their history, then the lesson (for) every future juror in this Commonwealth is simple: Agree with the majority or potentially be investigated,” O'Connor said.

Sullivan also heard arguments on the prosecutors' request for a gag order while the case remains pending, to avoid influencing a future jury. Reddington gave interviews during the trial, while prosecutors generally did not speak to reporters. Clancy’s lawyers argued that it would amount to an unconstitutional restraint on speech.

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AP journalist Leah Willingham contributed from Boston.

Prosecutor Jennifer Sprague attends a hearing for Lindsay Clancy in Plymouth Superior Court, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Lindsay Clancy listens to the prosecutor during her hearing in Plymouth Superior Court, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Judge William Sullivan gestures to the attorneys during Lindsay Clancy's hearing in Plymouth Superior Court, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington listens to the prosecutor during Lindsay Clancy's hearing in Plymouth Superior Court, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Lindsay Clancy reacts to her attorney Kevin Reddington during her hearing in Plymouth Superior Court, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

HOUSTON (AP) — Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 16 points, Corey Hadnot II added 14 and No. 10 Houston opened its season with a 94-55 win over La Salle on Monday night.

Delrecco Gillespie had 13 points — 11 in the first half — and Chase McCarty scored all 10 of his points in the opening 20 minutes as the Cougars built a 43-23 halftime lead. Arafan Diane also scored 10 for Houston.

The Cougars shot 54% and outrebounded the Explorers 47-32. Houston also turned 19 turnovers into 25 points and had a 44-10 scoring advantage in the paint.

Kam Burton scored 15 points and Devin Booker added 12 for the Explorers. La Salle shot 25% and went 8 of 39 on 3-pointers.

The teams combined for 46 fouls, three technicals and one flagrant foul. Houston finished 27 of 37 from the free-throw line, while La Salle was 17 of 23.

Houston took a 20-3 lead on a layup by Braden East with 11 minutes left in the first half. La Salle responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to nine on a 3-pointer by Burton.

The Cougars outscored La Salle 23-12 to end the half, with McCarty scoring his 10 points over the final nine minutes.

La Salle: Hosts Long Island on Saturday.

Houston: Faces California in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on Sunday night.

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full men’s basketball coverage here

Houston forward Chase McCarty (24) shoots over La Salle forward Noah Collier (7) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)