What was the verdict in Commonwealth v. Lindsay Clancy?

No verdict as of Aug 31, 2026. Trial ran July 29 – Aug 28, 2026 in Plymouth Superior Court. Jury began deliberations Aug 28 and is still deliberating. Possible outcomes: guilty, manslaughter, or not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility (McHoul).

What is the McHoul standard?

Under Commonwealth v. McHoul, 352 Mass. 544 (1967), a person is not criminally responsible if, as a result of mental disease or defect, they lacked substantial capacity to appreciate wrongfulness or conform conduct to law. Burden on Commonwealth beyond reasonable doubt.

Where can I watch the trial?

Each of the 14 transcript pages links its YouTube court recording via Court TV / Law&Crime / PBS NewsHour. No Rev.com paywall. See /transcripts and /media.

Meta-Review of the Barriers and Facilitators to Women Accessing Perinatal Mental Healthcare

Citation

Webb, R., Uddin, N., Constantinou, G., Ford, E., Easter, A., Shakespeare, J., Hann, A., Roberts, N., Alderdice, F., Sinesi, A., Coates, R., Hogg, S., Ayers, S., & the MATRIx Study Team. (2023). Meta-review of the barriers and facilitators to women accessing perinatal mental healthcare. BMJ Open, 13(7), e066703. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066703

Published

July 20, 2023

Journal

BMJ Open (BMJ Publishing Group)

Authors & Affiliations

Rebecca Webb - City, University of London

Nazihah Uddin - City, University of London

Georgina Constantinou - City, University of London

Elizabeth Ford - Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Abigail Easter - King's College London

Judy Shakespeare - University of Oxford

Agnes Hann - University of Oxford

Nia Roberts - University of Oxford

Fiona Alderdice - Queen's University Belfast

Andrea Sinesi - University of Stirling

Rose Coates - City, University of London

Sally Hogg - University of Stirling

Susan Ayers - City, University of London

Design

Meta-review of systematic reviews

Objectives

To synthesise the results from previous systematic reviews of barriers and facilitators to women seeking help, accessing help, and engaging in perinatal mental health (PMH) care, and to suggest recommendations for clinical practice and policy.

Methods

Seven databases searched using PRISMA search strategy

Studies focused on views of women seeking help and accessing PMH care

Data analysed using thematic synthesis

AMSTAR-2 used to assess review methodology

Qualitative sensitivity analysis conducted

Results

A total of 32 reviews were included. Barriers and facilitators mapped across:

Multilevel Model of Influential Factors

1. Individual - inability to recognise need, self-stigma

2. Healthcare professional - training, cultural sensitivity

3. Interpersonal - trusting relationships, family support

4. Organisational - clear referral pathways, continuity of care

5. Political - funding, policy

6. Societal - stigma, cultural norms

Across the Care Pathway

Decision to consult

Accessing help

Engaging in care

Key Findings

30%-50% of women with PMH problems identified

Less than 10% referred to specialist care

Barriers include:

Women not recognising the need to seek help

Lack of healthcare professional training

Stigma (internal and societal)

Cultural barriers

Organisational barriers (referral pathways)

Facilitators include:

Continuity of care

Trusted relationships with providers

Culturally sensitive care

Co-production of services

Flexible, woman-centred care

Recommendations

Evidence-based recommendations for design and delivery of PMH care produced, including:

International-level guidelines to facilitate awareness

National-level policies for PMH integration

Individual-level care adaptations

Training for healthcare professionals

Co-production of services with service users

PROSPERO Registration

CRD42019142854

Relevance to Clancy Case

This meta-review synthesises evidence on why women fail to access perinatal mental health care - a critical issue in understanding systemic failures that may contribute to tragic outcomes. The finding that only 30-50% of women with PMH problems are identified, and less than 10% referred to specialist care, highlights the significant gap between need and service provision.