Post by @the.legal.np

Day 21 of the Lindsay Clancy trial — and testimony is officially over. Today, the Commonwealth’s final expert, Dr. Gregory Saathoff, finished his testimony. And while he ultimately believes Lindsay was criminally responsible, he also made several important acknowledgments: her suicide attempt was “very, very serious,” she experienced significant medication side effects, testing did not show evidence of malingering, and he said the prosecution’s opening characterization “really minimizes what she was going through.” Then came the legal arguments that could have a major impact on deliberations. ⚖️ Judge Sullivan ruled that the jury will receive a manslaughter instruction, although the exact language is still being finalized. ⚖️ The defense’s request for a Bowden instruction regarding alleged deficiencies in the investigation was denied—but Reddington can still argue those deficiencies during closing. ⚖️ And the court continued working through how the jury will be instructed on mental disease or defect, criminal responsibility, medication/intoxication, and the meaning of wrongfulness. After 21 days of testimony and 85 witnesses, there are no witnesses left. Tomorrow: closing arguments, final jury instructions, and then this case goes to the jury. And this is where every detail matters—because the question was never simply whether Lindsay Clancy was mentally ill. The jury now has to decide what that mental illness meant legally at the time her children were killed. #lindsayclancy #lindsayclancystory #legalnp