“I ONLY WANTED TO SEE LINDSAY”: WOMAN FACES FELONY CHARGE AFTER JURORS WERE ALLEGEDLY RECORDED OUTSIDE CLANCY TRIAL
“I ONLY WANTED TO SEE LINDSAY”: WOMAN FACES FELONY CHARGE AFTER JURORS WERE ALLEGEDLY RECORDED OUTSIDE CLANCY TRIAL
A dramatic new twist has emerged in the closely watched Lindsay Clancy trial — and this time, the controversy is happening outside the courtroom.
Dawn Light, 56, a retired nurse from Sutton, Massachusetts, has been charged with intimidation of a witness, juror, or person providing information in connection with criminal proceedings after authorities accused her of recording jurors leaving the courthouse.
Light pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
Her attorney insists the entire incident was a “complete misunderstanding,” saying Light was simply trying to photograph Lindsay Clancy and had no intention of interacting with or intimidating members of the jury.
POLICE SAY THEY FOUND THE FOOTAGE
According to prosecutors, Light parked in a restricted area behind Plymouth Superior Court on Tuesday while the jury in Clancy’s trial was deliberating.
The location reportedly gave her a direct view of an entrance used by people leaving the courthouse.
Authorities say surveillance footage showed Light using her phone as jurors exited.
When Massachusetts State Police approached her, Light allegedly denied photographing or recording anyone.
She reportedly told officers she was waiting to see Lindsay Clancy leave the courthouse.
Investigators initially found no photos or videos of jurors on her phone.
But prosecutors say they later searched the deleted-files section of the device.
That is where they allegedly discovered multiple videos and photographs of people entering and leaving the courthouse, including individuals later identified as jurors in the Clancy trial.
“I ONLY WANTED TO SEE LINDSAY”
Light has maintained that she was there because she wanted to see Clancy.
As she left court after her arraignment, she reportedly told reporters that she wanted to see Lindsay and said she did see her being taken away in a van.
Her lawyer, Jennifer White, argued that Light never intended to approach or interact with the jurors.
The defense described the situation as a misunderstanding rather than an attempt to influence the proceedings.
Light, who has no significant criminal history, was nevertheless facing a serious felony allegation.
JUDGE ORDERS HER TO STAY AWAY
Prosecutors asked for a $50,000 cash bond, arguing that interference with jurors poses a serious threat to the integrity of the judicial process.
The judge rejected the request.
Instead, Light was released on personal recognizance with strict conditions.
She was ordered to stay away from the courthouse grounds, jurors and witnesses connected to the Clancy case. She was also prohibited from contacting people involved in the proceedings and ordered not to distribute photographs connected to the incident.
Light is scheduled to return to court on October 15 for a pretrial hearing.
THE JURY WAS ALREADY AT A BREAKING POINT
The timing of Light’s arrest has made the situation even more extraordinary.
The Lindsay Clancy jury has been deliberating for five days and has twice told Judge William Sullivan that it cannot reach a unanimous decision.
On Wednesday, the judge gave the jury another instruction urging them to continue discussing the case.
The jury ultimately left court without a verdict and is expected to resume deliberations Thursday.
The jurors must ultimately decide whether Clancy was criminally responsible for the events involving her three children in January 2023.
Her defense has argued that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and should not be held criminally responsible.
Prosecutors have argued that she understood what she was doing and acted deliberately.
The jury has several possible verdicts available, including murder, manslaughter, not guilty, or not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility.
A TRIAL ALREADY UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE
The case has attracted enormous public attention, with spectators and supporters gathering around the courthouse throughout the trial.
That intense interest is now colliding with the strict protections surrounding jurors.
The judge’s restrictions on Light underscore how seriously courts treat any attempt to photograph, contact or otherwise interfere with jurors while they are deciding a case.
But whether Light actually intended to intimidate anyone remains a matter for the legal process.
For now, she maintains that she was simply trying to see Lindsay Clancy.
Prosecutors say the deleted footage tells a different story.
And as Light prepares to return to court in October, the Clancy jury remains locked in its own extraordinary legal dilemma — still unable to agree on a verdict after days of deliberation.
