Michael Desronvil, the lone juror who would not vote to find Lindsay Clancy not criminally responsible, has given his first television interview since the September 4 mistrial. He told Fox News he had “a lot of evidence to back up my claim,” that he thought Clancy was “methodical” in what he called the “execution” of her three children, and that he answered his juror questionnaire truthfully. The interview, recorded with host Kayleigh McEnany on October 14, aired in full on “Fox & Friends” on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
The last of those statements bears most directly on the November 2 hearing in Plymouth Superior Court, where Clancy’s lawyer is asking for an inquiry into the juror and for dismissal of the case. Here is what Desronvil said, as reported by Fox News, NBC10 Boston, WCVB, Boston 25 News and Boston.com, and how each part lines up with the legal questions the judge faces. Lindsay Clancy is presumed innocent.
What he said
- On his vote. Asked what influenced his decision, Desronvil pointed to “how methodical I thought Lindsay was in the execution of the children,” Boston 25 reported. “That was really big for me, you know, from watching the video and also listening in the courtroom,” he said, according to Fox News. Boston.com reported that he said he did not have any doubt that Clancy was guilty.
- On the evidence. “I had a lot of evidence to back up my claim,” he said. “But because out of respect of the other jurors in the court system, I will put that to sleep for now until, you know, they go through the process,” Fox News and NBC10 reported. He declined to go into specifics.
- On the children. “I have a daughter myself that’s 5 years old,” he said. “So seeing these three kids, it’s emotional. You can see the innocence, the pure joy in them. It’s hard to just take that away.” He said hearing Patrick Clancy’s 911 call was “surreal.” “The focus has to be on the children,” he said, according to Boston.com. “They are the ones who don’t have anyone fighting for them.”
- On the foreperson’s account. The jury’s foreperson said in an earlier interview that Desronvil had admitted to having reasonable doubt but wanted to convict anyway. Desronvil maintains that is not true, NBC10 reported, and Fox News reported that he denied the claims from other jurors.
- On his past. He said a 2021 domestic violence incident, in which the charge was later dismissed, “got blown out of proportion,” NBC10 reported.
- On the questionnaire. Asked whether he told the truth on the juror questionnaire, he said, “Well, what I did was I answered the questionnaire truthfully,” according to NBC10.
- On the aftermath. “Right after the mistrial, it was like night and day,” he said of his life since the trial.
Clancy’s defense team declined to comment on the interview, WCVB reported. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz has not said whether he will retry the case.
Why his reasons for voting are not what the judge will decide
Most of the interview was about why Desronvil voted the way he did. Under Massachusetts law, that is the one subject a court will not examine. In Commonwealth v. Fidler, 377 Mass. 192 (1979), the Supreme Judicial Court limited juror testimony to “extraneous ‘disturbing’ influences” and said its decision “does not permit evidence concerning the subjective mental processes of jurors, such as the reasons for their decisions.” We explained that rule in detail when Clancy’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, asked to call witnesses on November 2.
So whether the juror found Clancy “methodical,” and whether the other 11 jurors were right that he was not following the law, are not questions a judge would take testimony on. The same rule cuts both ways: it also means the foreperson’s account of what Desronvil said in the jury room is unlikely to be heard as evidence, if the line holds. One open question is whether the Fidler limits, written for attacks on a verdict, apply the same way when there was no verdict and the defense is trying to block a second trial.
Why the questionnaire answer matters more
The questionnaire is different. It was filled out before the trial began, and it can be checked against records rather than anyone’s memory of deliberations. NBC10 reported that a restraining order against Desronvil was in effect at the time of jury selection and that he was facing eviction over more than $12,000 in unpaid rent. The questionnaire’s answers are confidential under G.L. c. 234A, § 23, and have not been made public.
The usual test for a juror’s nondisclosure comes from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in McDonough Power Equipment, Inc. v. Greenwood, 464 U.S. 548 (1984). A party “must first demonstrate that a juror failed to answer honestly a material question on voir dire, and then further show that a correct response would have provided a valid basis for a challenge for cause.” Both steps matter. An honest answer, or an omission that would not have supported removing the juror, does not meet the test.
Desronvil’s statement on television that he answered truthfully is his position, and his lawyer Edward Paltzik has said every allegation about his past is false. It is not evidence the court will rely on. Judge William Sullivan can resolve the first half of the McDonough question by reading the questionnaire itself, which is sealed in the clerk’s office. We covered what the questionnaire asks and the standard Reddington has to meet when the inquiry motion was filed.
What he did not talk about
Reddington’s motion focuses on outside influence: records of the juror’s phone during deliberation hours, hallway video outside the deliberation room, and cellphone sign-in sheets, according to Fox News. Those are the “overt factors” Fidler allows a court to examine. None of the coverage we reviewed reports Desronvil being asked about his phone or any outside contact during deliberations.
What happens next
- November 2. Judge Sullivan is scheduled to hear the double jeopardy motion to dismiss, the juror inquiry request, the prosecution’s gag order motion and a discussion of a trial date. See our Clancy court calendar.
- A retrial decision. Prosecutors could retry Clancy on first-degree murder charges, seek lesser charges or drop the case, Boston.com noted. Clancy remains charged and is expected to stay at a psychiatric hospital until the case is resolved.
- The juror’s own counsel. Desronvil is represented by lawyer Edward Paltzik and a Massachusetts lawyer, Heather O’Connor, who has appeared for him in Plymouth. He is not a party to the criminal case.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Clancy holdout juror say in his interview?
Michael Desronvil told Fox News he had “a lot of evidence to back up my claim,” that he thought Clancy was “methodical” in the killings, that the foreperson’s account of him admitting reasonable doubt was not true, and that he answered his juror questionnaire truthfully. He declined to discuss the evidence in detail.
Can a judge question a juror about why he voted the way he did?
Generally no. Under Commonwealth v. Fidler, 377 Mass. 192 (1979), Massachusetts courts do not take evidence about jurors’ subjective reasoning. They may examine extraneous influences, such as outside information or contacts during deliberations.
What happens if a juror did not answer the questionnaire honestly?
Under McDonough Power Equipment, Inc. v. Greenwood, 464 U.S. 548 (1984), a party must show the juror failed to answer honestly a material question and that a correct answer would have provided a valid basis for a challenge for cause. A mistaken or immaterial answer is not enough.
Will Lindsay Clancy be tried again?
That has not been decided. The district attorney has not announced whether he will retry the case, and the defense is asking the court on November 2 to dismiss the indictments on double jeopardy grounds.
Sources: Fox News, October 14, 2026, and “Fox & Friends,” October 15, 2026; NBC10 Boston, WCVB, Boston 25 News and Boston.com, October 15, 2026. Quotations are as reported by those outlets. Commonwealth v. Fidler, 377 Mass. 192 (1979), and McDonough Power Equipment, Inc. v. Greenwood, 464 U.S. 548 (1984), verified on CourtListener; the McDonough quotation was read in the opinion. Lindsay Clancy has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. Michael Desronvil is not charged with any wrongdoing related to the trial. General information about Massachusetts law, not legal advice.