9.Christopher William Clancy — Direct/Cross
281 linesMS. SPRAGUE: Commonwealth calls Christopher Clancy.
BAILIFF: Good afternoon, sir. Can you stop right there and raise your right hand for the clerk, please?
COURT CLERK: Good afternoon. Would you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give today is the truth, the whole truth...[oath administered]
COURT CLERK: Thank you, sir. You may have a seat.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Thank you. Is this my water?
BAILIFF: Yes.
THE COURT: Good afternoon, sir.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Good afternoon.
THE COURT: All right. Commonwealth.
MS. SPRAGUE: Thank you. Good afternoon. Can you please state and spell your name for the record?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Say that again. I'm sorry.
MS. SPRAGUE: Could you please state and spell your name for the record?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes. Christopher William Clancy. C-H-R-I-S-T-O-P-H-E-R W-C-L-A-N-C-Y.
MS. SPRAGUE: And what's your date of birth?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: 7/26/61.
MS. SPRAGUE: Where do you live?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Scituate, Mass.
MS. SPRAGUE: And do you work?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: No, I'm retired.
MS. SPRAGUE: What did you do before you retired?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I was a plumbing contractor.
MS. SPRAGUE: Is Patrick Clancy your son?
MS. SPRAGUE: When did you first meet Lindsay Clancy?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I don't know what the year was. But I believe I met her for the first time at the cottage in Hull. That was my parents' house. And I believe that's when I met her. I think he brought her down then.
MS. SPRAGUE: Was that before or after she and Patrick had gotten engaged?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: That was before.
MS. SPRAGUE: And eventually they got engaged and got married, correct?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Correct.
MS. SPRAGUE: And had three children, correct?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Correct.
MS. SPRAGUE: So I wanna direct your attention to the timeframe after Callan was born in May of 2022. Did you have a chance to observe Lindsay interact with Callan?
MS. SPRAGUE: And what was Lindsay like with Callan?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She was very mothering.
MS. SPRAGUE: And was she protective?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I would say yes, like any mother would be.
MS. SPRAGUE: Do you recall describing her previously as very protective of him?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I would say that she was very protective of him.
MS. SPRAGUE: In terms of how protective she was of Callan versus Dawson and Cora, was she more, less, or the same?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I would say she was more of the same when the babies were little, you know, when the babies were young.
MS. SPRAGUE: So was that something typical when she would have one of the children, she'd be very protective when they were first born?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes. I think that's like any other mother, though.
MS. SPRAGUE: And how often would you see the family?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: We saw them regularly. They lived not too far from us. They lived in Weymouth first, and we saw them regularly.
MS. SPRAGUE: And then eventually they moved to Duxbury?
MS. SPRAGUE: And directing your attention to the timeframe between November 16th, 2022, and Thanksgiving of that year, did you see them at your house?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I think we... I think they did come up to our house one time, once. Must—might've been a Saturday or a Sunday.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. And why did they come over that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I think they just came over to say hi.
MS. SPRAGUE: And what was Lindsay's demeanor that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Very good.
MS. SPRAGUE: And was there any difference in her behavior or speech pattern than what you'd seen with her previously?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Not that day.
MS. SPRAGUE: And how was that visit?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Very good.
MS. SPRAGUE: Did you then see them at or around Thanksgiving?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, we did.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. And where was that?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: That was at my daughter Lara's house.
MS. SPRAGUE: And—
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: In Hamilton.
MS. SPRAGUE: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: In Hamilton.
MS. SPRAGUE: And did you interact with Lindsay that day?
MS. SPRAGUE: What was her demeanor that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She seemed a little—how do you say it? Let me think for a minute. She seemed quiet. She seemed quiet.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. And did she seem to interact with everyone there as she normally would?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yeah, she was very close with my daughters and her sister-in-law.
MS. SPRAGUE: Do you recall them wearing coordinating shirts that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I think so.
MS. SPRAGUE: And during dinner that day, did you make observations of Lindsay getting the kids settled down for dinner?
MS. SPRAGUE: And did you see her interact with Dawson?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, I did.
MS. SPRAGUE: And can you describe that interaction, please?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Mm-hmm.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She was getting a little frustrated. Dawson was being a little silly, and she was trying to get him to sit down. And she was just a little bit, you know, frustrated with him, and I noticed it, so I got up to help her.
MS. SPRAGUE: And when you saw her getting frustrated with him, did you see her do something to get him seated?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She took him by the arm to get him seated. It wasn't anything crazy.
MS. SPRAGUE: Right.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: You know?
MS. SPRAGUE: It's not like she hit him or anything like that?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: No, no.
MS. SPRAGUE: Right. She just took his arm and guided him to the seat.
MS. SPRAGUE: Is that correct?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Correct.
MS. SPRAGUE: But you could see that she was frustrated, correct?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I could.
MS. SPRAGUE: And so you stepped in to help her, right?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Correct.
MS. SPRAGUE: And what did you do to help?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I got her a plate, I believe. There were a lot of people, so it was just a little chaotic.
MS. SPRAGUE: Now, directing your attention to the weekend before Christmas 2022. Did you stop by their home that weekend?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I believe we did, yeah.
MS. SPRAGUE: And who was there?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Her parents.
MS. SPRAGUE: So it'd be Lindsay's parents, Lindsay, Patrick, and the kids?
MS. SPRAGUE: And were you by yourself or with your wife?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I was with my wife.
MS. SPRAGUE: And was there a specific point for everyone stopping by and gathering that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I don't remem— I don't recall that.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. Were you and your wife checking in or helping out that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: We might've just been going down to check on things.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Help out.
MS. SPRAGUE: Did you know that there were some struggles going on at that point?
MS. SPRAGUE: And did you know that Lindsay was—specifically Lindsay was having some struggles at that point?
MS. SPRAGUE: Did you stop by again a few nights before Christmas?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I thought that's the night you were talking about. I—yes, I guess we did.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. And when you stopped by the night before Christmas, do you recall who was there that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I think the same people, but I'm not positive.
MS. SPRAGUE: So Lindsay's parents, Lindsay, Patrick, and the kids?
MS. SPRAGUE: And what was Lindsay's demeanor that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: It was okay. It wasn't terrible.
MS. SPRAGUE: Do you recall testifying previously and saying that she seemed like she was in good spirits?
MS. SPRAGUE: Would that be accurate?
MS. SPRAGUE: And when you were there at the house that day, did you make plans for the following day, for Christmas Day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, we made plans to go to Mass.
MS. SPRAGUE: And who was gonna go to Mass?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Lindsay, Patrick, the kids, us, my wife Sue, and me.
MS. SPRAGUE: And did you all— I'll strike that. The following day on Christmas, did you go over to Lindsay's home before going to Mass?
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. Did you all gather for breakfast?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I don't recall.
MS. SPRAGUE: And, let me approach.
MS. SPRAGUE: On your page 33, if you can just read to yourself lines two through seven, and then just look up when you're done.
MS. SPRAGUE: Take your time.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: All right.
MS. SPRAGUE: Does that refresh your memory, sir?
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. Did you go over that day for breakfast?
MS. SPRAGUE: And how was Lindsay's demeanor that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: It was good. She looked beautiful. She had a beautiful dress on.
MS. SPRAGUE: And do you recall saying previously she seemed very happy that day?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, she did.
MS. SPRAGUE: And after breakfast, did everyone go to church as planned?
MS. SPRAGUE: And how were the children in church?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Fantastic.
MS. SPRAGUE: Very well-behaved?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Very well.
MS. SPRAGUE: And then after church, did you have a conversation with Lindsay outside of the church?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I think we talked a little bit. I don't remember what we said. But we were going our separate ways.
MS. SPRAGUE: Do you recall saying previously that Lindsay said she was glad she came and she really loved it?
MS. SPRAGUE: What was her demeanor while she was engaging with you after Mass?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She was quiet. She said that she liked the Mass, and she was really happy that she went.
MS. SPRAGUE: And do you recall saying before that—
MS. SPRAGUE: Strike that. Do you recall after that conversation, you guys hugged each other and went your separate ways?
MS. SPRAGUE: Did you see the family again after Christmas?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I'm not sure. I'm not sure.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. Did you go to Cora's birthday party?
MS. SPRAGUE: Was it more of a kids gathering at a trampoline place?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: That's what I heard.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay.
MS. SPRAGUE: All right. Did you have plans to see them Tuesday, January 24th, 2023?
MS. SPRAGUE: Do you recall saying previously that there were plans to get together for dinner that night, but they changed because your wife had plans with her brother?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: No, we never had plans to go there Tuesday night. They asked us to come to the Tuesday night, but we already had plans with Sue's sister Joan.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay, so there weren't set plans, but you were asked to come to their house that night?
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. And then— ... you couldn't, couldn't go because you had other plans.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Right. We were gonna make it for Friday.
MS. SPRAGUE: Thank you for clarifying that. In terms of your interaction with Lindsay and Patrick and the kids, while there were some struggles going on, did you and your wife offer to take the kids to your house overnight to kinda give them a break?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I did mention that to my son.
MS. SPRAGUE: And was that offer declined?
MS. SPRAGUE: And...
MS. SPRAGUE: Going back to Thanksgiving of 2022 when you were interacting with Lindsay, I think you previously said that her demeanor was good. She was quiet. Did you also say at one point she had a little blankness to her at times?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She seemed to at times.
MS. SPRAGUE: And can you tell us, like, what that was?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Just like a stare.
MS. SPRAGUE: Stare. Kind of staring off into the distance, distracted?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: No, just not totally interacting. You know, just sort of...
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. So at some points—
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Almost, like, nervous. Kinda like—
MS. SPRAGUE: Nervous.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: ... almost just like, you know, something like that.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. So at some points she was staring a little bit, seemed a little nervous, but then at other times she was interacting with everyone as she normally would?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Pretty much.
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay.
MS. SPRAGUE: You mentioned earlier, when you were talking about Lindsay having a little bit of difficulty getting Dawson seated at Thanksgiving, that he was being a little silly.
MS. SPRAGUE: Was that typical for him to behave in that way?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yeah, he was a handful. But he was a good boy.
MS. SPRAGUE: ... going back to the night of January 24th, 2023, at some point in time that night, did you get a phone call from Patrick?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: On Ja— in January?
MS. SPRAGUE: January 24th, 2023.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, I—
MS. SPRAGUE: And... Go ahead.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, we did.
MS. SPRAGUE: And what was his demeanor during that call?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Is this the night of the—
MS. SPRAGUE: Yes.
MS. SPRAGUE: Yes.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: It was terrible.
MS. SPRAGUE: And did you and your wife leave your home and head to the hospital to be with him?
MS. SPRAGUE: Okay. Thank you.
THE COURT: Attorney Reddington.
MR. REDDINGTON: Thank you. Good afternoon.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Good afternoon.
MR. REDDINGTON: Mr. Clancy, just a couple of questions. You were summonsed to be here by the DA, is that correct?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Correct.
MR. REDDINGTON: And you gave statements to whoever wanted statements. You were very cooperative with the investigation. Is that right?
MR. REDDINGTON: And being as you're the, obviously, grandfather and father of Pat, over the years from the time they were dating, engaged, married, kids, you and your wife were pretty close with both of them, were you not?
MR. REDDINGTON: Do you have an opinion as to how Lindsay was as a mother that you could see?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: She was very, very good. She fed them great. She did a lot of things with them. They did... Like, the all-American family.
MR. REDDINGTON: And district attorney had asked you about Thanksgiving of '22, November 16th of '22, and she made reference... I think you had responded that she appeared to be quiet, and then she used the term, "Did you know about the struggles?" Can you tell me what the struggles were? Do you know what she meant by that?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I knew—
MS. SPRAGUE: Go to sidebar?
THE COURT: Sure, yeah.
MR. REDDINGTON: Thank you, sir. I think I was asking you about the word, the struggles, and can you just tell the jury what the struggle... what was meant by the struggles?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I knew she was having a hard time sleeping. I knew she just didn't feel well. I know she had gone to the emergency room and my... where my wife was working. Those types of struggles.
MR. REDDINGTON: And just so, obviously, for the record, your wife would be Sue?
MR. REDDINGTON: And she's a nurse, labor and delivery at South Shore?
MR. REDDINGTON: And did Lindsay confide, to your knowledge, yes or no, to your wife about some of her issues as a result of which your wife referred her to a person to speak to?
MR. REDDINGTON: Do you know who that person was?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: I don't remember the person's name.
MR. REDDINGTON: Okay. Would that be the South Shore Perinatal, I think is what it's called?
MR. REDDINGTON: Okay. And understanding that you're the father-in-law, would you agree that the two of you, you and Lindsay, had a pretty good relationship?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Yes, very good.
MR. REDDINGTON: And you told us about November 16th, and then Thanksgiving of '22, and then up until Christmas, and then after Christmas, and the timeframe actually right up to January 24th, you guys were supposed to get together that night, right?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Correct. Well, no, we weren't. We were asked to come to dinner that night.
MR. REDDINGTON: But you had other plans.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: We had other plans.
MR. REDDINGTON: Okay. District attorney asked you about, on a number of occasions, about the time at your home, I think it was on Thanksgiving, when Dawson was acting a little rambunctious or silly, and that she guided him to his seat. Was she... To your opinion and what you could observe, did you believe that she was being abusive to him at all?
MR. REDDINGTON: And you know her mother and father as well, correct?
MR. REDDINGTON: And the four of you, the in-laws from both sides, you and your wife, Sue, and Lindsay's mother and father, both were all kinda pulling together to try to help this young couple out during that timeframe, right?
MR. REDDINGTON: And your son, Patrick, he was very concerned about his wife, was he not?
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: He was.
MR. REDDINGTON: And he confided in you on a number of occasions?
MR. REDDINGTON: I'm sorry, sir. Thank you.
THE COURT: Commonwealth?
MS. SPRAGUE: Nothing further.
THE COURT: All right. Thank you, sir. You may sit down.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CLANCY: Thank you.
THE COURT: Yeah. Commonwealth, can I see you over here just a second?
THE COURT: Start the next witness for just a couple of minutes, and we're gonna break till 2:00. So I'm gonna ask you to be ready to come back here at 2:00. Same instructions I've been giving you the whole time during the break. Don't talk about this case with anybody, don't do any research about this, don't look into anything about this case or any similar cases. And I'll see you at 2:00. I hope you have a nice break. Okay? Thank you.
BAILIFF: Court, all rise.
THE COURT: All right. So we'll be in recess on this matter till 2:00.
BAILIFF: Well, all right. Court stands in recess. Folks, please exit the courtroom.
BAILIFF: This court is back in session. You may be seated.
COURT CLERK: Your Honor, for the purpose of the record, we return back to the record for the, in the matter Commonwealth versus Lindsay Clancy. All parties are present, including Ms. Clancy, excluding the jury.
THE COURT: All right. Counsel, are we ready for the jury?
MS. SPRAGUE: Yes, Your Honor.
MR. REDDINGTON: Yes, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Okay. Sure. Bring them in.
BAILIFF: Court, all rise. Jurors entering.
BAILIFF: This court's now in session. Please be seated.
COURT CLERK: Good afternoon, Your Honor. For the purpose of the record, we return back to the trial of Commonwealth versus Lindsay Clancy. All parties are present, including the defendant and including 18 jurors.
THE COURT: Madam clerk, thank you. Members of the jury, good afternoon. We're gonna return to the case. Attorney Sprague.