A 56-year-old Massachusetts woman accused of photographing and recording jurors leaving the Lindsay Clancy murder trial pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony juror intimidation, with prosecutors alleging she entered a restricted area and had videos of potential jurors in a deleted folder on her phone.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A Massachusetts woman accused of recording jurors as they left deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy triple-murder trial pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a felony intimidation charge that could carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Dawn Light, 56, of Sutton, appeared in court one day after Massachusetts State Police arrested her outside the Plymouth courthouse, where jurors had just completed another day of deliberations without reaching a verdict.
Light was taken into custody at approximately 3:40 p.m. Tuesday and charged with one count of intimidation of a witness, juror, or person furnishing information in connection with criminal proceedings.
During Wednesday’s arraignment, prosecutors described court rules intended to protect jurors from being photographed, filmed, followed, contacted or otherwise interfered with while the Clancy case remains unresolved.
The alleged conduct occurred as jurors were leaving the courthouse Tuesday after failing to reach a verdict in Clancy’s case.
According to a report on Light’s arrest, authorities allege that Light attempted to photograph members of the jury as they departed.
CBS Boston reporter Kristina Rex separately reported that jurors themselves noticed they were allegedly being filmed.
The new allegations presented Wednesday went further.
According to prosecutors, Light not only photographed jurors but also recorded video and entered an area from which she was restricted.
NewsNation reported that prosecutors said videos of potential Clancy jurors were discovered in a deleted folder on Light’s phone.
The accusation creates a potentially serious complication for a murder trial that was already under pressure because jurors had been struggling to reach a unanimous decision.
Fox News reported that attorneys for either side could potentially seek a mistrial over the incident.
Whether either the prosecution or defense will make such a request remains unresolved.
The court’s restrictions surrounding jurors are intended to shield panel members from outside contact or conduct that could influence, intimidate or harass them while they are considering a criminal case.
That concern is especially significant in the Clancy proceedings because jurors are deciding charges that could result in a life sentence.
According to the explanation provided during Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Sullivan’s supplemental order and Rule 119 prohibit photographing or filming jurors and bar people from contacting, following, interviewing or otherwise communicating with them before the jury has been discharged.
Light’s felony charge places those protections at the center of a separate criminal proceeding while the original Clancy case remains undecided.
She has denied the allegation through her not-guilty plea.
The arrest occurred only minutes after jurors had left the Plymouth courthouse Tuesday, placing the alleged conduct directly alongside ongoing deliberations in one of Massachusetts’ most closely watched criminal cases.
Authorities will now pursue the intimidation charge against Light while the court separately determines whether the incident has affected the Clancy jury or created grounds for additional action in the murder trial.
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