A Massachusetts judge on Wednesday denied a request from Lindsay Clancy’s attorneys to question the holdout juror who forced a mistrial in her triple-murder case.
Clancy, who was charged with killing her three children, is still due to appear in court on Nov. 2 for the next hearing in the case, but Judge William Sullivan on Wednesday denied a request from defense lawyers to use the hearing to investigate the actions of the holdout juror.
“This Court concludes that any further judicial inquiry is inappropriate, given the mandate that the court must not delve into a juror’s subjective reasoning, thought process, view of the case, or relationship to the other jurors, and must not inquire into the jury’s deliberative content, collective thought process, or any disagreement among the jury,” Sullivan wrote.
After a seven-week trial this summer, Sullivan declared a mistrial after the jury — split 11-1 in favor of finding her not guilty by reason of insanity — failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Clancy pleaded not guilty to three murder charges for the deaths of her 5-year-old daughter Cora, 3-year-old son Dawson and infant son Callan at the family’s home in Duxbury, a Boston suburb, on Jan. 24, 2023.
The former nurse attempted suicide on the night of her children’s deaths, leaving her paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
Throughout Clancy’s trial, much of the testimony centered on whether or not she was suffering from postpartum psychosis — considered a psychiatric emergency, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — when she allegedly strangled her children and attempted to take her own life, and whether she should be held criminally liable for the killings.
Following the high-profile trial, defense lawyers had argued last month that the indictment should be dismissed because the judge failed to properly inquire about the holdout juror before declaring the mistrial.
To argue that motion, defense lawyers requested that the judge hold an evidentiary hearing to determine whether the holdout allegedly lied on the jury questionnaire, used his phone during deliberations or failed to follow the judge’s instructions during the deliberations.
While Sullivan did not issue a ruling on those motions, he concluded that defense lawyers failed to prove they were entitled to the evidentiary hearing on the matter, writing that issues about the holdout juror that came to light after the mistrial was declared were irrelevant.
“It appears that Clancy seeks an evidentiary hearing to determine whether Juror Doe lied on the jury questionnaire about prior involvement with the criminal justice system,” Judge Sullivan wrote. “However, potential evidence of good cause to dismiss a deliberating juror that came to light only after a mistrial was declared simply is not relevant to whether there was a manifest necessity for a mistrial.”
Both prosecutors and defense lawyers declined to comment on the ruling.
USA, New York, Finger Lakes Region, Ithaca, Cornell University, elevated view of McFaddin Hall, summer (Walter Bibikow/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Prosecutors in central New York say they are reopening the investigation of alleged “gang rape” at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024 after a civil lawsuit filed earlier this month sparked outrage about the incident.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said in a statement that his office is considering whether to bring criminal charges related to the incident, though he said the allegations in the civil complaint are “dramatically different” than the woman’s statement to police two years ago.
“It’s our intention to present the case to the Tompkins County grand jury with Jane Doe’s cooperation,” Van Houten told ABC News. “We want to reexamine whether there’s additional evidence that we were not aware of in November of 2024, that exists now that would change our assessment of the case and would result in the grand jury finding that there was criminal conduct.”
The reopening of the case comes less than two weeks after a former Cornell student filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she was drugged, assaulted and gang raped by seven former and current members of the Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell.
Cornell’s Chi Phi chapter was barred from campus after the alleged incident, though none of the individuals allegedly involved faced criminal charges, according to the DA. Van Houten said his office did not bring charges in 2024 because the woman’s statement to authorities did not allege she was drugged or that she did not consent to engage in sexual activities.
“She never says that she was drugged without her knowledge. She admits to taking drugs and alcohol voluntarily and with knowledge. She does not allege that she was forced to engage in any acts. She does not say that she was physically helpless or unconscious or incapacitated at any point during the time at the fraternity house,” Van Houten said.
Thomas P. Giuffra, attorney for Jane Doe, disputed Van Houten’s description of the woman’s initial statement to the Cornell University Police Department and faulted authorities for never following up with his client.
“In my experience, speaking with an abuse survivor requires delicacy, understanding and specialized training. An average University Police officer would not have these skills. It would be the role of a specially trained detective or district attorney. However, Ms. Doe was never contacted by anybody with those skills,” he said.
In an interview with ABC News, Van Houten acknowledged that he relied on the investigation conducted by Cornell Police and said his office didn’t “independently investigate” the allegations – a policy he said was in line with many upstate New York counties.
Van Houten also said that a screen shot of part of a Snapchat group chat included in the complaint — in which Jane Doe claims members of the fraternity discuss the alleged incident — was never provided to his office. Giuffra said the messages are a “critical piece of evidence” that were provided to authorities in 2024.
“My client went to the Cornell University Police because a crime was committed. It was the obligation of the police to investigate the complaints. They were given the group chat inviting the members of the fraternity to rape my client. This was a critical piece of evidence supporting that a crime had occurred. Despite this there was no follow-up with Ms. Doe either by the Cornell Police or the Tompkins County District Attorney,” he said.
ABC News has reached out to the named defendants in the lawsuit, including the seven fraternity members, Cornell and others.
Cornell said in a Sept. 21 statement that it takes allegations of sexual violence “extremely seriously” and that its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards “investigated and adjudicated the allegations consistent with university policies.”
The university said federal privacy law prevents it from publicly disclosing specific information about individual students or disciplinary responses. Cornell said violations of university policies could result in sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion.
Cornell also said the Xi chapter of Chi Phi “remains barred from our campus.”
The university said in a new statement on Monday that it “supports the decision of the Tompkins County District Attorney (DA) to provide an opportunity for the victim’s story, in the 2024 Chi Phi fraternity Sexual Assault case, to be heard by a criminal grand jury.”
“Cornell also conducted a thorough Title IX investigation, which is separate from a criminal proceeding, over the course of several months,” Monday’s statement said. “During that investigation temporary suspensions and other restrictive measures were used. After investigation, and pursuant to federal law, the matter was sent to a hearing where a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days. The complainant and respondents had the opportunity to testify and present evidence. At its conclusion, the hearing panel issued a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions from Cornell. None of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement.”
Jane Doe’s lawyers allege that the fraternity members “were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell.”
The fraternity was closed in 2024, the school said.
“Any suggestion that the University did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” Cornell said on Monday. “A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault.”
An attorney for defendant Scott Kretzschmar denied the allegations and said the incident detailed in the complaint “did not happen.”
“At bottom, Scott never sexually assaulted or even touched the plaintiff in any way. Period,” said attorney Jeremy Saland. “We look forward to confronting the plaintiff in a court of law for her selfishly false claims with both the evidence and her own words.”
Defendant Scott Norris denied engaging in sexual activity or drug use, though he acknowledged that he sent a message that was included in the complaint.
“I did not participate in any sexual activity or drug use. I was not found responsible by Cornell for any of the accusations involving sexual activity and drug use for which others received serious consequences. I thoughtlessly engaged in Snapchat and briefly stopped in the room where misconduct happened but not when it happened,” he said through an attorney.
Police said this suspect is being sought in connection with a group assault on a 17-year-old boy near Madison Square Garden in New York on June 10, 2026. (NYPD)
(NEW YORK) — A 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma near Madison Square Garden following Game 4 of the NBA Finals, New York City police said Friday while releasing a photo of a suspect sought in connection with the assault.
The incident occurred Wednesday night around 11:45 p.m., according to the New York City Police Department, amid rowdy celebrations following the New York Knicks’ win.
A group of unknown individuals approached the teen in front of 237 W. 35th St. in Midtown Manhattan, where a “verbal dispute ensued about the New York Knicks,” police said.
Detectives reviewed video that shows someone apparently telling the crowd celebrating by saying, “Spurs in 7,” ABC New York station WABC reported.
“The dispute escalated, and the individuals proceeded to punch and kick the victim about the head and body, causing the victim to suffer a seizure and subsequently go into a coma,” police said in a statement.
Emergency medical service personnel responded to the scene and transported the victim to an area hospital in critical but stable condition, police said.
The individuals fled on foot, and their whereabouts are unknown, police said. The NYPD released an image of one suspect sought in connection with the incident on social media on Friday while asking anyone with information to contact them.
Separately, dozens of people were arrested following the Knicks’ historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs in Wednesday’s Game 4.
Rowdy fans got into fistfights, climbed scaffolding and poles, blocked Midtown Manhattan traffic, set off fireworks, ripped down street signs, jumped atop taxis and other moving vehicles and damaged police vehicles, according to authorities and videos posted on social media.
At multiple locations blocks from the Garden, crowds refused numerous verbal commands to disperse, police said. Ten police officers were injured in the post-game revelry, including one who was struck in the face with a glass bottle, the NYPD said.
In total, 56 people were taken into custody, including 15 who were arrested and 41 who were released with criminal court summonses, according to the NYPD.
Fans were arrested on charges such as suspicion of assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon (a knife), reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, and trademark counterfeiting, the NYPD said.
Following Game 3 of the NBA Finals at the Garden on Monday, at least 21 people were arrested, according to the NYPD.
A 39-year-old San Antonio fan was jumped on a Midtown Manhattan street following the Knicks loss, according to the NYPD, which released surveillance photos of five individuals wanted on charges of robbery stemming from the incident.
ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report.
In this undated file photo, the State Department building is shown in Washington, D.C. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund filed a motion Wednesday asking for a stay and a preliminary injunction barring the U.S. government from “sharing the confidential information of Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian Government” while the issue is adjudicated in court.
The filing came a week after the organization sued the Trump administration over those allegations.
According to that complaint, many Iranian asylum seekers are pro-democracy protesters, members of religious minorities, or members of the LGBTQ community who have sought refuge in the U.S. — and that disclosing their confidential information to the Iranian government puts them “at risk of persecution, torture, and death” should they be deported back to Iran.
Wednesday’s motion also asks the government “to take the necessary steps to prevent the removal of any detained individuals whose confidential information has already been shared with the Iranian Government,” according to the filing.
In the filing, the IALDF alleges that the sharing of information was started in March of 2025, and that since late September 2025, at least three deportation flights have taken place, returning more than 100 Iranian nationals to Iran.
The filing includes 11 declarations by Iranian detainees in the U.S., more than half of which describe interactions, while in detention, with Iranian officials who knew details about their asylum claims.
“It’s shocking to think that at the same time the United States is engaged in hostilities with Iran, that the United States is handing over immigration files from ICE to the Iranian Interest Section in Washington, DC,” said Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney for Public Citizen who filed the case on behalf of IALDF. “These files are full of extremely confidential and sensitive information.”
“It basically spells out all the reasons somebody in the United States fears being returned to Iran and that could be because they participated in pro-democracy demonstrations; it could be because they have converted to a minority religion like Christianity; it could be that they’re part of the LGBTQ community,” Kirkpatrick said. “That kind of information is exactly the kind of information that they — that would result in their persecution if they went back to Iran.”
“They are terrified,” said Ali Rahnama, the interim executive director of IALDF, saying they’re scared not only for themselves but for family and friends back in Iran. “I want everyone to know these are not statistics; these are human beings who trusted the U.S. government and our laws,” he said.
The documents in the filing also relate details about an alleged phone call and meeting between IALDF board member Cyril Mehri and a senior Iranian official with the Iranian Interest Section in the United States. “According to the Senior Official, ICE has provided the Iranian Government with immigration documents related to each detainee, including asylum applications and related case files,” the filing said.
The IALDF argues that the government’s actions in sharing information without the consent of the detained individuals are unlawful.
The Department of Homeland Security has denied sharing information with the Iranian government, writing in a social media post, “These allegations that ICE shared asylum application records with the Iranian government are FALSE. ICE meets and works to get travel documents for detainees with every country. ICE is committed to ensuring that illegal aliens are informed of their right to communicate with their consular representatives.”
“Consistent with established protocols, ICE provides illegal aliens the opportunity to contact their consular post and facilitates consular access to detained individuals, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policy,” the DHS post said. “We will continue to use all lawful options to deport illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from American communities.”
A State Department spokesperson, following the filing of the lawsuit last week, said that the department, as a general matter, does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation, or on private diplomatic discussions.
