The Lindsay Clancy trial ended in a mistrial in September 2026 after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the case involving the deaths of her three young children. The case has sparked strong opinions and heated debate, and with another trial potentially ahead, attention is turning to what prosecutors might do differently the second time around.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes former law enforcement officer, domestic violence expert, and on-air crime analyst Claudia King to discuss the prosecution’s strategy during the first trial and what may need to change if the case returns to court. They talk about how witness sequencing impacts the jury, mental health arguments, accountability, and the evidence surrounding the children’s deaths. Sheryl and Claudia also address the public identification of the lone holdout juror, concerns about jury intimidation, and whether sequestering the jury during a second trial could help protect the integrity of the proceedings.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl introduces Claudia King, former police officer, domestic violence expert, and crime analyst

(4:00) Claudia discusses the possibility of a retrial, pending defense motions, and jury selection challenges

(8:45) Where prosecutors succeeded in closing arguments and why their focus on Lindsay’s suicide attempt may have hurt the case

(11:00) How witness order and testimony can influence a jury●

(14:00) Claudia questions the defense’s claims about Lindsay’s efforts to seek mental health treatment

(17:00) Mental illness, criminal responsibility, and questions about accountability

(20:45) The children’s positions and locations and what they may suggest about the killings

(22:00) The holdout juror faces public backlash after his identity becomes known

(27:15) Jury selection, outside influence, and the case for sequestration

(29:00) Concerns about a defense psychiatric expert’s relationship with Lindsay’s family and potential bias

(31:00) Remembering Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy, the victims at the heart of the case

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Claudia King is a former police officer, domestic violence expert, survivor advocate, and crime

analyst. A domestic violence survivor herself, she uses both her personal and professional

experiences to advocate for victims and offer insight into high-profile criminal cases. She also

hosts the Strong Enough podcast.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.