Clancy’s Lawyer Issues Stunning Trump Plea

Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer went on national television and asked President Trump to pardon her after a mistrial in her Massachusetts murder case.

Story Snapshot

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington made a direct on-air plea to President Trump for a pardon.
A judge declared a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.
Presidential pardons cover only federal crimes, not state charges like Clancy’s.
The defense now faces a legal path that likely runs through state court, not the White House.

A Televised Ask Aimed At The Oval Office

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington used a Good Morning America interview to ask President Trump to pardon Lindsay Clancy. He said the President should consider her hardships and the mistrial result, and “consider a pardon.” The appeal came days after the trial ended without a verdict. The defense had argued that the case involved complex facts and intense public pressure. Reddington framed the request as mercy for a young mother after a grueling ordeal.

Lindsay Clancy attorney Kevin Reddington making an appeal to Trump: "Mr. President, I would hope that you would consider, this young lady, the type of person she is, what she's been through, and consider a pardon." pic.twitter.com/dk2zO03XHv

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 8, 2026

The defense message landed because millions followed the trial. Cameras tracked the courtroom turns and the long jury deliberations. Viewers saw Reddington claim his client was treated unfairly. The ask to President Trump turned a local case into a national story. The move also signaled a strategy: shift the venue from law to politics, and from a split jury to a single decider. That bet risks collision with black-letter limits on federal clemency.

Mistrial Means Restart, Not Relief

The judge declared a mistrial after jurors reported they could not agree. The transcript shows the court described the panel as deadlocked and ended the proceedings. A mistrial wipes away the specific trial’s result but leaves the charges in place. Prosecutors can retry the case. No conviction means no punishment, but no acquittal means no closure. The legal fight returns to square one, not to freedom or finality for either side.

Confusion often follows a hung jury. Some hear “mistrial” and think the case is over. It is not. The state can bring the case again if it believes the evidence justifies it. The defense can push for a deal, a dismissal, or a retrial on different terms. The public sees a pause; the lawyers see a fork in the road. That difference will shape the next move, more than a TV appeal ever will.

The Hard Stop On Presidential Pardons

The United States Constitution gives the President power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. That means federal crimes. State cases sit outside that power. The Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney states the limit in plain terms: the President cannot pardon a violation of state law. Murder charges in a Massachusetts court are state offenses. A presidential pardon would not reach them.

Lawyer asks Trump to pardon Lindsay Clancy after deadlocked jury

Lindsay Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, has appealed to President Donald Trump to consider a pardon for his client following a mistrial in her murder trial last week.

ABC News reports that Reddington made the… pic.twitter.com/2fg44tnFLQ

— Rifnote (@viarifnote) September 8, 2026

Congressional research also traces the same bright line. Analysts have long described the pardon power as broad but fenced by federalism. The President can wipe away or reduce federal criminal penalties. The President cannot intrude on state prosecutions. Governors and state boards handle state clemency. The path for Clancy, if it ever turns to mercy, runs through Massachusetts, not Washington, D.C. That is not politics; it is structure.

Why The Lawyer Asked Anyway

Reddington’s plea served a purpose even if the law blocks a federal pardon. The message told potential jurors, and the district attorney, that the defense will try every door. It rallied supporters who see the case through a mental health lens. It also reminded the public that a mistrial left everything unsettled. From a common-sense, conservative view, the rule of law must lead. Mercy can matter, but it must run on the right track, in the right forum.

What Comes Next In The Case

Prosecutors can choose to retry the case, seek a plea agreement, or reassess the charges. The defense can push for a negotiated outcome or prepare for another trial. The timing will depend on witness readiness, evidence disputes, and court calendars. The headlines will chase the pardon talk. The real action will happen at the county courthouse. That is where facts get tested, where the jury speaks, and where a durable result can stand up on appeal.