Hundreds of demonstrators wearing pink shirts held hands and gathered outside the Plymouth courthouse Thursday morning to show support for Lindsay Clancy, the Duxbury woman on trial for killing her three children in 2023.
Most of the demonstrators were women who said they sympathized with Clancy’s effort to get postpartum mental health treatment.
“ I think that every one of us women believe that it could be any one of us,” said Renee Kimball, from Maine, the event’s lead organizer. “Any one of us who have dealt with mental health, anxiety, depression, postpartum — I think we just know that any one of us could be sitting in her chair.”
Clancy’s trial has focused on her efforts to get help for her mental health after the birth of her third child. Over the past three weeks, several healthcare providers and forensic experts have testified that Clancy was depressed, anxious and not sleeping well in the months before killing her children.
The prosecution argued she killed her children intentionally and should be held criminally responsible for their deaths. Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, is seeking what’s commonly referred to as the insanity defense.
He has said Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis, a psychiatric emergency where a new mother loses touch with reality. Reddington also claims that Clancy was overmedicated, which exacerbated her condition.
Many of the women showing support for Clancy Thursday said they had experienced postpartum mental health issues and hope the trial shows there are gaps in getting appropriate treatment.
“I think that it’s been so in the dark,” said Louise Saunders, of Reading. “As women, we’re told to smile, and you know, it’s natural to be a mom, so if you aren’t really into it and you can’t do it well with a smile, then you’re not doing it right.”
The demonstrators cheered as Reddington arrived at the courthouse, many yelling that he was a “fighter for women’s rights.” Reddington said he believes the trial resonates with many new mothers who struggle with adapting to a new baby and getting mental health support when needed.
“I think that it shines a light on this issue,” Reddington said outside court Thursday. “I mean, when a woman is going through what so many people do, and they go to a doctor, and the doctor says, you know, ‘Here, take this pill, take that pill, take this pill,’ and then they basically treat them for 15, 20 minutes and send them on their way. It’s just not right.”
Dozens of people waited in line to get into the court proceedings Thursday and many were turned away. Court was adjourned before noon. The defense is expected to continue presenting its case Friday.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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