WOMAN FACES FELONY CHARGE AFTER JURORS IN LINDSAY CLANCY TRIAL WERE ALLEGEDLY RECORDED

A 56-year-old woman has been accused of recording jurors in the high-profile Lindsay Clancy trial — then telling police she was only trying to get a picture of Clancy.

Dawn Light, a retired nurse from Sutton, Massachusetts, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of aggravated intimidation of a juror following an incident outside Plymouth Superior Court.

The case has added another dramatic twist to an already closely watched trial, where jurors have struggled to reach a unanimous decision over Lindsay Clancy’s criminal responsibility.

SHE SAID SHE WAS WAITING FOR LINDSAY CLANCY

According to police, Light was outside the courthouse Tuesday while the jury in Clancy’s trial was leaving the building.

Authorities allege she was positioned in a restricted area and used her phone to record people coming out of the courthouse.

When officers approached her, Light reportedly said she was waiting for Lindsay Clancy.

Police initially found no relevant footage in the regular camera roll on her phone.

But prosecutors say they later discovered videos of jurors in the phone’s deleted files.

That discovery transformed what might have appeared to be an ordinary courthouse incident into a potential threat to the integrity of the trial.

PROSECUTORS SAY THE JURORS WERE RECORDED

During Wednesday’s arraignment, prosecutors argued that the incident was serious because jurors are supposed to remain protected from outside contact and observation.

Prosecutors requested $50,000 in cash bail, along with strict conditions preventing Light from returning to the courthouse, contacting jurors or witnesses, or sharing photographs and videos connected to the incident.

The prosecution described the situation as a threat to the integrity of the judicial process.

But Light’s defense strongly disputed the suggestion that she deliberately targeted jurors.

Her attorney described the situation as a “complete misunderstanding.”

According to the defense, Light was trying to photograph Lindsay Clancy and had no intention of recording members of the jury.

Light has no known prior criminal record, according to her attorney.

THE JUDGE DID NOT ORDER CASH BAIL

The judge ultimately declined to impose the $50,000 cash bail requested by prosecutors.

Instead, Light was released on her own recognizance under strict conditions.

She was ordered to stay away from the courthouse as well as jurors and witnesses connected to the Clancy case.

She was also prohibited from disseminating photographs or videos connected to the incident.

Light is scheduled to return to court on October 15 for a preliminary hearing.

The restrictions underscore how seriously the court is treating any potential interference with the jury.

IT HAPPENED AS THE CLANCY JURY WAS DEADLOCKED

The timing of the incident could hardly have been more dramatic.

The jury deciding Lindsay Clancy’s case has already reported that it cannot reach a unanimous verdict.

After five days of deliberations, jurors remained divided, prompting Judge William Sullivan to issue a Tuey-Rodriguez charge, a standard instruction designed to encourage jurors to continue discussing the evidence and reconsider their positions.

The judge reminded jurors that they should listen to one another and reconsider their views, but should not abandon an honest conviction simply to reach a verdict.

The jury was sent back to deliberate again.

If the jurors remain unable to agree, the trial could ultimately end in a mistrial, leaving prosecutors to decide whether to pursue another trial or consider other options.

JURORS WERE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE INCIDENT

The alleged recording incident also prompted the judge to address the jury directly.

According to CBS Boston, Judge Sullivan questioned the jurors individually about what had happened.

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington later indicated that the judge found no apparent issue affecting the jurors’ ability to continue deliberating.

That allowed the proceedings to continue despite the unusual incident outside the courthouse.

But the episode has highlighted the extraordinary level of public attention surrounding the trial.

LIGHT SAYS SHE WANTED TO SEE CLANCY

Light has described herself as someone interested in high-profile criminal cases.

After her arraignment, she was confronted by reporters outside court and reportedly said she had come because she wanted to see Lindsay Clancy.

Her attorney then stepped in and declined to answer further questions.

Authorities, however, are focused on what happened to the phone footage and why Light was in a restricted area near where jurors were leaving.

The central question will be whether prosecutors can prove that her actions amounted to an intentional attempt to intimidate or interfere with jurors.

For now, that remains an allegation.

ANOTHER DRAMATIC MOMENT IN AN ALREADY EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL

The Lindsay Clancy trial has already lasted weeks and featured testimony from more than 80 witnesses and hundreds of exhibits.

Clancy, a former Massachusetts labor-and-delivery nurse, is accused of killing her three young children in January 2023.

Her defense has argued that she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and was not criminally responsible for her actions.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, have argued that the acts were deliberate and that Clancy remained criminally responsible.

Now, as the jury struggles to reach a verdict, a separate legal case involving a spectator accused of recording jurors has added another layer of tension.

Dawn Light has not been convicted of any crime.

Her next major court date is October 15, while the Clancy jury continues its difficult deliberations.

And with the possibility of a mistrial hanging over the proceedings, the next few days could prove crucial for one of the most closely watched trials in Massachusetts.