Clancy Witness Backs Insanity Defense, Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty, Election Upsets: AM Update 8/20

The Megyn Kelly Show - SiriusXM

This AM Update covers key developments in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, where defense experts argue she suffered from postpartum psychosi

Key takeaways

• Defense experts assert Lindsay Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis and lacked appreciation for the wrongfulness of her actions at the time of the killings.
• Prosecutors challenge the defense's claims by pointing to instances where Clancy appeared functional, but defense argues that mental illness can fluctuate and does not require constant symptoms.

Main topics

• Lindsay Clancy murder trial and insanity defense
• Postpartum psychosis and legal standards of criminal responsibility

Notable quotes

"She had bipolar disorder with postpartum psychosis, and she had no appreciation for the wrongfulness of her act." – Dr. Paul Zeisel

Conclusion

The Lindsay Clancy trial continues to hinge on the medical and legal i

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:02) Good morning, everyone. I'm Emily Drushinsky, host of After Party and the Megyn Kelly Wrap-Up Show on SiriusXM Channel 111. It's Thursday, August 20th, 2026, and this is your AM Update. Speaker 7 (0:12) She had bipolar disorder with postpartum psychosis, and she had no appreciation for the wrongfulness of her act. Speaker 2 (0:21) A psychologist for the defense offering a notable opinion in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. Police returning to a home connected to Hayden Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend. just days after the actress's sudden death. A longtime Dr. Fauci advisor pleading guilty to hiding government communications about COVID research, now facing up to five years in prison. Speaker 1 (0:41) Let's make something very clear to David Jolly. We are not going to apologize for Florida. And Florida Speaker 2 (0:50) voters setting up a fiery governor's race, while a far-left Democrat pulls off a stunning Senate upset. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update. Speaker 4 (1:02) Cozy Earth has built a massive following for their ultra-luxurious sheets. People love them because they bring a premium five-star resort feeling right into the bedroom. You know what's weird about Cozy Earth sheets? Everybody asks me about them. Of all the ads that we run, everyone wants to know whether Cozy Earth sheets really are as great as we say they are. And the answer is yes, they are. Trust me. Go buy it. Try the one pair and see if I'm lying. I'm not. But you should buy a bunch of pairs on your first order because that's where you get the big discount. And it's amazing. It's truly like you see that discount kick in. You type it. I myself did. I typed in Megan. I was like, whoa, I saved myself a lot. OK, but anyway, now you can get that five star resort feeling at the beach or the pool because Cozy Earth's premium beach towels completely change the game for summer outings. Unlike your standard scratchy towels that get stiff after a day in the sun. These are incredibly plush. fast absorbing, and genuinely elevated. Genuinely. They wrap you in luxury after a dip in the water. Plus for anyone who's not a beach or a pool person, Cozy Earth has an incredible everyday bath towel line to bring that spa like quality right into your home bathroom. They even stand behind everything they make with a 10 year warranty. Oversized, ultra plush, and completely built for your best summer days. Head to CozyEarth.com. Use the code MeganAM. Do it. Don't forget, it's important for an exclusive 20 % off. That's code MeganAM for an exclusive 20 % off. And if you see a post-purchase survey, tell them that you heard about Cozy Earth right here. Speaker 2 (2:41) Day 16 of the Lindsay Clancy murder trial resuming yesterday morning. The Massachusetts mother pleading not guilty to three counts of murder in the January 2023 deaths of her children. Five-year-old Cora, three-year-old Dawson, and eight-month-old Callen. Clancy not disputing that she killed the children before attempting to take her own life. Her lawyers arguing she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and was not criminally responsible. Prosecutors contending she planned the killings and understood that what she was doing was wrong. Defense psychologist Dr. Paul Zeisel returning to the stand, telling jurors Clancy's medical records reflected paranoia, an inability to experience pleasure, and intrusive thoughts about suicide. Zeisel saying Clancy feared that if other people could hear her thoughts, she worried state authorities would take her children away. The psychologist also testifying that someone experiencing psychosis can still complete ordinary tasks and appear to interact normally with other people. Zeisel then offering his opinion on the central question, jurors will ultimately decide. Speaker 6 (3:41) Can you tell this jury, sir, in your opinion, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty based upon all of what you have reviewed, all of what we have talked about, all of what you have considered as to whether or not at the time of this incident resulting in the killing of these three little kids that she was suffering from a mental disease or defect? such as that she lost substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of her act or in the disjunctive was unable to conform her conduct to the requirements of the law. Speaker 7 (4:22) Yes. Tell the jury what your opinion is, please. My opinion is that she did have indeed a mental disease or a defect. That's a legal construct, not a DSM-5 one, but she had bipolar disorder. with postpartum psychoses. In addition, she was unable to conform her behaviors to the rule of law, and she had no appreciation for the wrongfulness of her act. Speaker 2 (4:46) Prosecutors challenging both Ziesel's objectivity and basis for that conclusion. Assistant District Attorney Shannon Buckingham questioning him about his frequent work for defense attorneys in the state's public defender agency, along