Patrick Clancy, whose three children were murdered by his ex-wife Lindsay Clancy, spoke publicly Sunday on CBS News’ 60 Minutes about the deaths of his children and his decision to forgive the woman who killed them.
The interview aired just over two weeks after a mistrial was declared in Lindsay Clancy’s murder case. A lone juror refused to accept the not-guilty-by-reason-of-lack-of-criminal-responsibility argument that the other 11 jurors had accepted, based on a defense claim that she suffered from postpartum psychosis at the time she strangled her three children.
The mistrial has drawn national controversy. Lindsay Clancy did not deny methodically strangling her children to death, and many Americans have rejected the idea that anything short of a guilty verdict is acceptable in that circumstance. Others, including women’s rights advocates, have said the case has forced overdue attention on maternal mental health.
In the 60 Minutes interview, conducted by correspondent Ross Douthat, Patrick Clancy recounted the final days of his 8-month-old son, Callan, who briefly had a heartbeat restored by doctors after the attack.
“I really thought there was a chance that Callan would live,” Clancy said. “And remember just thinking, ‘Just gimme one. Just gimme one kid,’ and I would raise him as best I could, and I would give him the best life I possibly could. I’d tell him about his brother and sister. And I was holdin’ out hope for that. And then when I got to the hospital, I saw the doctor. I saw the look on her face, and I knew that it wasn’t going to be a good prognosis.”
Callan survived four days after the attack before he died.
“I said, ‘I’m so sorry,'” Clancy told Douthat, his voice breaking. “And I got to hold him. I got to lay down next to him. And he died in my arms.”
Choosing forgiveness without being asked
Clancy told 60 Minutes that Lindsay Clancy has never asked him for forgiveness for killing their three children, Cora, Dawson and Callan. He forgave her anyway.
“I think when it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn’t get there, I would be eaten up inside forever,” Clancy said.
Clancy has since remarried and is considering starting a new family. He said any future children would remain connected to the memory of Cora, Dawson and Callan.
“You have different relationships with your kids, but they’re all your kids,” he said. “And I can’t wait to tell them about their brothers and sister.”
