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Kevin Reddington’s on-air appeal for a presidential pardon for Lindsay Clancy was dramatic television — and legally tone-deaf. The lawyer begged President Donald Trump on Good Morning America to “consider a pardon” after a Massachusetts jury deadlocked in the case that has gripped the nation. Viewers got the theatre; the Constitution got ignored.
The Good Morning America plea and the mistrial
On live TV, attorney Kevin Reddington asked President Donald Trump to pardon Lindsay Clancy, whose trial ended in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict. Judge William Sullivan declared the mistrial after nearly 40 hours of deliberations and repeated notes from jurors about a holdout. The case—centered on the deaths of Clancy’s three children and heavy, conflicted testimony about postpartum mental illness—remains unresolved in Massachusetts courts.
Why a presidential pardon is a longshot
Here’s the plain legal fact that TV lawyers and talking heads should know before hitting the red light: the president’s pardon power covers federal crimes only. The Constitution limits clemency to “offenses against the United States.” Murder charges brought under Massachusetts law are state matters, not federal. If anyone can grant clemency here, it’s Governor Maura Healey or a state board — not the White House. So the on-air plea was less a legal strategy than a publicity play.
Politics, optics, and what happens next
This case is emotional and raw. The defense says severe postpartum mental illness explains Clancy’s actions; prosecutors argue the evidence supports criminal responsibility. With a mistrial, prosecutors can retry the case, the defense can pursue motions or appeals, and both sides will weigh strategy. Meanwhile, Reddington’s televised appeal sends a political signal — it rallies sympathy, stokes headlines, and puts pressure on state officials who actually hold clemency power. That’s useful for public opinion but not a substitute for a legal path forward.
Common sense over showmanship
Americans should demand more than media stunts. If clemency is truly sought, go to the right place: the governor’s office in Massachusetts. If the goal is legal relief, prepare for a retrial or a smart appeals strategy. Feelings matter in tragic cases like this, but the rule of law matters more. Lawyers who trade substance for cameras do a disservice to their clients and to the public, and elected officials who want to weigh in should stick to the powers their oaths actually grant.
