LIVE UPDATES: Lindsay Clancy’s attorney grills psychiatrist on Day 10 of murder trial

Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial is underway in Massachusetts. The 35-year-old woman is charged with three counts of murder for the strangling deaths of her three children, ages 5, 3, and 8 months old. Clancy is present in the courtroom, bound to a wheelchair after she was paralyzed by injuries she sustained when she jumped from her home’s second-story window in an alleged suicide attempt. Her defense lawyer claims she was insane at the time, suffering from postpartum psychosis, and could not appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions. We are posting live updates from the courtroom here. Time notes are Eastern Daylight Time. Please forgive typos.

3:49 p.m. Court is in recess until Tuesday 9:00 AM EDT for cross-examination of Julie Paul, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.

3:30 p..m. Paul: Intake appointment was on November 21, Lindsay attended in person. She had planned to go back to work in October but delayed her return to work. She was goal-directed and actively participated in the care plan. Did a number of screening tests GAD scale, Mood Disorders, Edinburgh, and 5 PPs. Through screenings she scored high on generalized anxiety. She was experiencing extreme anxiety She scored negative for suicidality. Recommended talk therapy with Leticia Dukes – December 2nd was the first appointment. On Nov 30, Paul informed her that she was transferring her care because she was leaving SS. On Nov. 25 discussed stopping prozac because she wasn’t tolerating it. She took it for 3 days prescribed one time Ambien for sleeping, prescribed klonopin, to help her with sleep and anxiety. Trying to find a medication that she could tolerate better. Common practice to try different medications. Nov. 27 she reported feeling disconnected and disoriented from some of the medications. Nov 28 had a panic attack earlier in the day, recommended .5 ativan, and go for a run and recommended partial hospitalization. At the time she didn’t think it would work for her logistically. Nov. 29 first day she met with Rebecca Jollotta – she reported taking Remeron. Klonopin was as needed. After panic attack, she reports the next morning she took the Remeron, and reported sleep issues. As of Nov 30- let her know she was leaving the clinic.

2:57 p.m. Commonwealth Witness #61 Julie Paul, Psychiatric Nurse:
Formerly a labor and delivery nurse in NH
2018 started peri-natal health program at South Shore Hospital
Postpartum period is anytime within the first year. Worked with Susan Clancy at South Shore Hospital. November 20, 2022 received a call from Susan Clancy, who referred Lindsay Clancy for treatment.
Wanted to know what Lindsay was struggling to determine if she would be a good candidate for our program. She was happy for the first 12 weeks, but struggled when Patrick went back to work. She said she tried zoloft, Ativan and Benadryl, and mentioned buspar. After going to the ER on Nov 16 she had been prescribed trazodone. She was concerned about dependency. Assessed no immediate need after initial call. She denied having any suicidal or homicidal ideation. Did not indicate that she had had any visual or auditory hallucinations. Did not ask about delusions.

2:46 p.m. RECROSS: You said you didn’t call because you didn’t have HIPPA permission. We’re not allowed to talk about a patient’s treatment with anyone. I could have reached out to them, it’s not typically done when you have a patient whose old enough to advocate for herself. Was she smoking marajuana? No. Did she tell you that she was using gummies? no. Based on records- she had taken one gummy, which didn’t work out.
If she had a plan, that would represent an immediate threat that would require hospitalization.
October 21, 2022 – you said in the medical record ‘pressured speech.’ You’re misinterpreting my note. Meant to ‘not pressured’ That’s all i have.

2:42 p.m. What’s in a discharge summary? Treatment, medication prescriptions, diagnosis, how patient presents at time of discharge, sufficient information. Typical amount of information. Asked about Jan 23rd session, why no recommendation for a hospital evaluation? No serious signs her safety or anyone else’s safety was at risk? Did she tell you she was planning to harm herself or children. It would include hospitalization or enlisting help from staff. I would address it promptly. The initial prescription on Jan 16 was 10 mg of amitriptalyne, yes. Bottle has 8 pills missing. On the 23rd she could raise it if there are only 8 pills missing, she didn’t take the additional dosage on Jan 23rd.

2:36 p.m. In that session – Lindsay denied suicide and homicide ideation, didn’t do the suicide assessment – because the assessment asks questions about planning. Never saw signs of psychosis or signs of mania. Discussed Seroquel even though she didn’t prescribe. She shared that it has good evidence for treating Depression. Seroquel does different things at different doses. Doesn’t function as anti-psychotic unless you have high doses, at low doses it treats insomnia and depression. After she was off the Seroquel she was still showing Depression? yes.

2:32 p.m. Nov 2nd visit: Lindsay noted she understood Ativan was not a long term solution, because of its risk for dependency. The plan was to reduce the dosage every 2 weeks. She told you that she was in therapy and exercising daily. Did she tell you she went to SS hospital and that she was prescribed and that she was taking weed gummies. Didn’t know. In December she consistently denied having a plan for suicide. If Lindsay had told you that she had a plan to hurt herself or a plan to hurt her children would you then move to commit her? yes. Section 12.

2:26 p.m. Difference in how a psychiatrist interprets having fears of suicidal thoughts versus having suicidal thoughts. If it’s a fear – it means they’re not having suicidal thoughts. It’s a level of concern that can be managed as an outpatient. Lindsay did not have actual thoughts of suicide until December. If someone demonstrates they can advocate for themselves, it shows they have good judgment and can be trusted. Having her mom come stay with her was a positive decision.

2:23 pm. Redirect: Lindsay in September was asked about her mental health history. Indicated she was suffering from Anxiety, Post Partum Anxiety May 2020, indicated that Prozac and Wellbutrin was effective but did not indicate she suffered any side effects from the drugs.

2:10 p.m. On redirect: Dr. Tufts treated thousands of patients during her residency. Devoted one year of her residency to treating women with postpartum issues. Psychosis is a general disorder, symptoms include disheveled appearance, uncooperative, fast loud speech, or not speaking at all, paranoia, did not see signs of psychosis in Lindsay. Telehealth psychiatric sessions are a standard practice. Edinburgh scale – PHQ9 scale- is what is used at her practice. The scale assesses various symptoms of depression. Would it be fair that you use the PHQ9 and the discussion with the patient to come up with diagnosis? yes. Important for patient to be accurate in giving information. Lindsay was able to advocate for herself – she was able to schedule her appointments, go to ER. Encouraged her to attend individual therapy many times. Lindsay only saw McAllister the therapist twice while she was seeking her services. Suicide warning associated with Zoloft is directed at children and adolescents – not older than 24. Defendant waited a month before taking the medication – she only took it when she was ready to take it? yes.

2:09 p.m. Court is back in session

12:58 p.m. Judge is taking the lunch recess.

12:54 p.m. January 23rd (Day before the murders) Mood and affect were depressed? She reported her heart was racing? yes. She said she was numb for 17 days straight. It’s how she was feeling. Her parents and Patrick didn’t call. On January 23rd she’s seeking help? What did you? I thought about how best to help her. It made sense it would tritate the amitriptyline. You increased her meds didn’t you? yes. That pushed her over the edge? I don’t think so. End of cross.

12:43 p.m. Next meeting was January 6. She was your patient and she admitted herself to the locked wards at McLean? What was the diagnosis. Major Depression. Took her off Seroquel. Did you look at the records? Yes. They faxed you 2 pages? yes. Sent discharge summary. She was on Trazodone. January 9 was she on Diazapam. January 12 prescribe additional medication? Yes. January 16 do you recall prescribing amitriptyline? yes – it’s an older anti-depressant. Low mood, numb, forced herself out of bed, taking care of baby, bonding feels forced. What did that tell you? I was concerned that she was depressed. In all the time she appeared to be honest and forthright? yes.
Diazepam tapered – light sleep for 2 hours stretches. Did she express concern over side effects? not at that point. Denied SI and HI. Do you know she was on computer looking up treatments? No. January 16 – reported feeling worse that ever. She wasn’t well.

12:37 p.m. What did she say was going on on December 16 – she said she was having a tough time. Her affect was flat. Depressed checked it twice. Recent lab work – no lab results were found. It auto-populates. Treatment goals were symptom reduction and improved functioning. She’s deteriorating what on that date, what did you tell her? I told her to go to the partial hospitalization program, she should go to the ER if she had any suicidal thoughts. How long did that meeting take? about 30 minutes. The plan was to follow up with Women & Infants? Yes. You were considering a zulpresso infusion – that didn’t go anywhere. Start Lamictal, continue Seroquel (200 mg), and stopped with the Valium. Was mother and father still staying with her on Dec. 16. Not sure. Did you ask anybody how she was doing. He was at the visit. What did he say? He said she wasn’t doing well. He said it was related to the Seroquel – he told you that you people are turning her into a zombie. Possible.

12:30 p.m. 2 weeks later Dec. 16- she said she was ‘having a really rough time’ Noted that she was very depressed, no motivation, some SI, went to MGH, declined inpatient, feeling like Depression is related to Seroquel. She indicated that she had suicidal ideation. Can’t answer that yes or no. She had suicidal ideation? yes. What was she thinking? I asked her those important follow up questions. It means i’m feeling hopeless. Do you have intention of hurting yourself? Do you have a plan for hurting yourself? She denied those. What did you do? We explored what that meant, what to dod if you’re feeling – go to the emergency room. Did you discuss Seroquel. We talked about it but i did not prescribe it for her. So takeaway – she’s feeling hopeless. She went home? She was assessed in ER – not admitted. I assessed her on that day – she was struggling. She did not require hospitalization. She was planning on going to Women & Infants program. And I supported that. Do you know that at that time she told her husband that she was having thoughts of harming the children. You did not talk to her husband. We did speak at that visit. In reading the record – likely that was the visit he was at.

12:23 p.m. On Dec. 1, Witness discussed with Lindsay undiagnosed bipolar disorder extreme reaction to the SSRI’s? Did she have bipolar? no. I assessed that with her – every time I saw her. She never had mania. Did you discuss Lamictol? It’s an anti-convulsive used for mood disorder. I was still concerned not concerned enough that she would hurt herself and discussed a partial hospitalization. She went to women & infant hospital for one day. Did not meet the criteria – a hypomanic episode lasts for four days. At that point she had severe mental disturbance at that point – A: she had moderate heading toward severe. She had increased anxiety? yes. Increased Depression? She denied she was suffering from suicidal ideation. She said she was close to suicidal thoughts. What does that mean? She described it as hopeless.

12:15 p.m November 2 visit: You would decrease Ativan – seemed to be getting better. Another visit on November 22. Did you ask her about suicidal ideation? It’s in my note – she denied SI. Did you ask her about how it was working out with her parents living with her? I did not ask. Next appointment was Dec. 1. She disclosed she had gone to the SS hospital. She told you she was doing the Ativan taper – she reported she had trouble sleeping. She said she was having problems with Trazidone – not prescribed by witness – Lindsay reported it was not helpful. She tried Remeron – reported worse depression and intrusive thoughts – feeling like she was going to die. She tried Prozac – insomnia worse. She can’t sleep, she’s panicking, she was numb, intrusive thoughts, I feel like I’m going to die, denies suicidal ideation, feeling hopeless. What did you do? Told her there was hope, and partial hospitalization. Did you ever suggest to her that she should come see you. Did not see there was a need to see her in person.

12:12 p.m. If tests reveal elevation in the thyroid level is it your testimony wouldn’t care? I would advise them to consult their primary care physician – did you recommend Lindsay consult an endocrinologist. There was no clinical reason to obtain a blood test (for Lindsay).

12:03 p.m. Defense queries Tufts about how she would learn how a patient metabolizes medication. She would not conduct a blood test, but there is an enzyme test – complicated. Tests does not yield useful clinical information so it’s not typically done. Doesn’t tell you what medications will be better for a patient “I don’t find it useful.” You didn’t use the test? “It wouldn’t have made a difference in her treatment.” Tell me about the thyroid – it’s an organ that regulates hormones. How many articles have you published about postpartum? Published something but not a full article. Defense cites a number of postpartum articles – witness says she is not aware of the article related to postpartum and the thyroid.

11:50 a.m. Next appointment on October 26 – witness noted that Lindsay was back to where she was before Zoloft – started her on ativan, busperine & hydroxyline – talked about Remeron. Lindsay had a therapy appointment on October 31. Therapist conducted a suicide assessment. Records indicated that patient denied suicidal ideation. You said she was not suicidal when she saw McAllister – I’m asking about the suicidal assessment. Did Lindsay answer any of the 4 pages of questions? No indication that test was administered to her on October 31. A: It was asked in other ways.

11:46 a.m. When Lindsay increased the dose upon her advice (October 20), she reported increased depression, poor appetite, anxiety ‘really bad’, diarrhea, paranoid about suicidal thoughts, doesn’t want to be alone. “I was concerned, yes.” Tufts says she gave therapy. At this time Lindsay said her mother came to stay with her. Witness was not aware of the living arrangements with her mother. Defense suggests that Lindsay was so sick at that point her mother moved in to help. Recommended she take fish oil and Zulresso a 60-day infusion medical treatment for postpartum.

11:45 a.m. Court is back in session. Lindsay gazing toward the jurors as they are ushered into the courtroom.

11:08 a.m. Court is in its morning recess.

11:05 a.m. Tufts did not have access to Lindsay’s South Shore Perinatal Clinic medical records. Reddington says Lindsay could have signed a HIPPA release and Tufts could have gotten the records. Tufts says he felt Lindsay told her everything she needed to know. Reddington mentions that Lindsay was mentally ill.

11:01 a.m. On Nov. 22, Tufts and Lindsay met again. Lindsay said she was seeing someone at the South Shore Perinatal Clinic. This was a clinic exclusively focused on treating perinatal conditions. At the appointment, Tufts told Lindsay to taper off the Ativan. Tufts says Lindsay went to the ER because of depression and was discharged.

10:58 a.m. Reddington asks if Lindsay was afraid of taking the drugs. Tufts says she was. Reddington says she wasn’t doctor shopping to get high – she was afraid to take drugs. Tufts responds yes. They discussed suicide and thoughts of hurting herself. Lindsay did not mention suicide during the November visit, but did on Dec. 1. In November, Tufts discussed four alternate medications.

10:54 a.m. Reddington asks if Tufts recalls Lindsay tells her she had brain fog going into November. Tufts says it was mentioned. Reddington asks if brain fog was a side effect of the medications. Tufts says it could be – but could also be a symptom of depression. Lindsay was prescribed Ativan .5 mg. She said it was a little bit helpful, so Tufts says she could increase it to 1 mg.

10:52 a.m. Reddington asks Tufts if she told Lindsay to take a diary documenting all her medicines. She did not. “Would that be helpful?” Tufts: “Maybe. But we go through all that at appointments and we met frequently.” Reddington asks if Lindsay got worse even after being prescribed all this medicine. “In the couple of weeks after starting those medicines, I don’t recall the symptoms were significantly exacerbated.”

10:50 a.m. The entire appointment was between 25-30 minutes. Tufts added a new prescription for hydroxyzine to be used as an alternative for Benadryl. She was also prescribed BuSpar, an anti-anxiety medication. “They weren’t all to be taken at the same time,” Tufts says.

10:45 a.m. Tufts prescrived Ativan for Lindsay. She was also taking Benadryl. Reddington says taking the two drugs can cause depression side effects. On Oct. 26, Lindsay denied she was having suicidal thoughts, Tufts says. “Patient denies suicidal ideation,” Lindsay’s medical record says.

10:43 a.m. Reddington asks if Lindsay called suicide hotlines. “I was not aware if she did.” Reddington asks Tufts if she ever asked Lindsay if she called suicide hotlines. Tufts doesn’t think so. Reddington says Lindsay called a suicide hotline twice and was turned away. Tufts says that surprises her. “Obviously this is just horrible,” Reddington says. “Yes,” Tufts responds.

10:41 a.m. Tufts says she gave Lindsay supportive psychotherapy. Reddington asks what that is. “I provided emotional support and validation and encouragement.” Reddington asks what validation is. “I understand this is a very difficult time,” Tufts says – saying she gave therapeutic words for about 10 minutes. Reddington says this was done through the television – this was on telehealth.

10:39 a.m. Reddington asks if psychiatric patients minimize their symptoms. Lindsay says they can be. “If she told you she was having suicidal thoughts or homicidal thoughts, you would report that, wouldn’t you?” Tufts says it depends on the context – having suicidal thoughts alone is not grounds to report them.

10:34 a.m. Reddington asks what Tufts did for Lindsay’s therapy. Tufts asks during what visit – they had many visits. Reddington asks if Lindsay told Tufts she was dwelling on suicidal thoughts. Tufts says it was a while before Lindsay mentioned suicide. On Dec. 1, Lindsay said she “denied having suicidal thoughts but was close to feeling suicidal.” Tufts says Lindsay was fearful about having those kinds of thoughts. Reddington asks how frequently she had the thoughts – Tufts isn’t sure. “I don’t have it documented how frequently they were, but that is a question I usually ask.”

10:30 a.m. “This is not easy stuff for someone to be talking about. People get embarrassed in our society if they have mental problems,” Reddington says. Tufts says some do. Reddington asks Tufts why she didn’t document the side effects of Zoloft Lindsay had after the birth of her second child and what the side effects were. Tufts didn’t write them down. She was prescribed Zoloft again after the birth of her third child.

10:29 a.m. Tufts says Lindsay didn’t describe her condition as severe after the birth of her second child. Reddingon asks what bipolar is and if someone has a difficult birth, should they be prescribed an SSRI? She says a difficult birth shouldn’t affect whether someone is prescribed an SSRI.

10:26 a.m. “Did you ever gauge Lindsay’s knowledge or ability to judge what medication would be good for her?” Tufts says that was her role – to give her the best medication. Reddington asks if it’s important to know if Lindsay had problems following prior baby deliveries. He asks if Lindsay had prior issues with her prior babies. “I know she had anxiety symptoms after her second child was born.” Dawson was the second child. He was 2-3 years old when Lindsay saw Tufts. Tufts doesn’t recall what side effects Lindsay had after her second child.

10:24 a.m. Lindsay said she wanted to try something else because she was still having significant anxiety. Tufts gave her a recommendation of another drug. Reddington asks if Zoloft can affect someone’s sleep. Tufts says it can be temporary but then the side effects disappear entirely and the drug helps the patient.

10:20 a.m. Lindsay told Tufts during a visit in October that she started taking Zoloft, and it made her feel awful. Reddington says she went “off the rails.” Tufts told Lindsay to stop the medication. Reddington asks if a patient is supposed to stop an SSRI immediately or to slowly decrease it. Tufts says at 50 mg of Zoloft, you can stop immediately.

10:17 a.m. Reddington asks about the lawsuits involving SSRIs from students who commit school shootings. Tufts hasn’t studied that. Tufts instructed Lindsay to increase the Zoloft from 25 mg to 50 mg after one week. Lindsay didn’t take the medication for a month, but then she did start taking it.

10:12 a.m. Reddington asks Tufts what education or programs she has participated in to learn more about medicines. She says she has not attended any symposiums, but has read a lot. One of the side effects of Zoloft is severe loss of sleep, Reddington says, and asks Tufts if he told Lindsay this was a side effect. “I didn’t use the word severe because Lindsay told me she had trouble sleeping.” Reddington asks why she prescribed Zoloft to a young woman who has anxiety and major issues sleeping. Tufts says side effects vary with patients, but Zoloft is a top-recommended drug. “By whom?” Reddington asks. Tufts says the general consensus among psychiatrists is that Zoloft is extremely effective and one of the first things used to help patients.

10:10 a.m. Reddington asks if Tufts went over the side effects with Lindsay – says one of the side effects is suicidal ideation but only in children. Reddington pushes back, “Not really. Is there a black box warning on Zoloft?” Yes. He says a black box warning is that the drug may cause suicidal or “God forbid” homicidal ideation for people up in their mid-20s – around 24. Reddington says if a drug can increase suicidal ideations in someone who is 23 or 24, would that not happen to someone who is 27 or 28? She says the research doesn’t show that.

10:06 a.m. Reddington asks what kind of alcohol Lindsay drank, when she started, when she stopped, etc. Tufts says she knows some details about Lindsay’s alcohol use, but very minimal. She drank 1-2 servings five times a week. Lindsay mentioned at some point that alcohol was calming. “So she was trying to numb something?” Reddington responds. “That’s one way of saying it,” Tufts says.

10:04 a.m. Tufts diagnosed Lindsay with Generalized Anxiety Disorder on Sept. 15. Reddington shows a chart displaying the medications Lindsay was on. Tufts prescribed Lindsay with Zoloft 25mg on Sept. 15. Reddington asks if Tufts has ever read the website for Zoloft and why she gave Lindsay Zoloft when it’s not recommended for anxiety. She says it’s a very effective treatment for patients with anxiety.

10:02 a.m. Reddington asks how the doctor gives someone hope. “You try to give them encouragement.” Reddington asks how she gave her hope on Sept. 15 – what the records say. Tufts says she doesn’t write down everything – she provided supportive therapy. “Emotional support validation.”

10 a.m. Tufts was aware that Lindsay did not have a significant psychiatric history. “So you were the first psychiatrist that she had the pleasure of meeting?” Response: “I think I was.” Reddington asks if it’s important for her to know about Lindsay’s past psychiatric history. Tufts says she did not report seeing any other psychiatrist and had taken Prozac. “She said that her prior history was what we discussed about the Prozac during nursing school.”

9:57 a.m. Lindsay was having a lot of problems sleeping. She appeared anxious. Reddington asks Tufts is she’s “like a robot” and has to just choose from a drop-down box on a computer form when she treats patients. Tufts says she is limited by the computer system when it comes to keeping records, but treating the patient is the most important thing she does.

9:54 a.m. Reddington asks what a suicide hotline is. Tufts says it’s a phone number patients can call and speak to a trained counselor. Reddington asks if Tufts gave Lindsay any therapy. She says there was some – she provided emotional support. Her sessions were largely focused on medication management, but there was an aspect of therapy. The sessions were around 25-30 minutes. Reddington asks if the doctor faced the TV screen the entire time. She says yes. Reddington says the records show the appointments were only 17 minutes. Tufts says the actual therapy was 17 minutes. Reddington asks what therapy she used for Lindsay. “I listened to her, provided support, tried to give her hope that things would improve.”

9:51 a.m. Reddington says on the Edinburgh test, anything over 15 is severe depression. Lindsay ranked in the 20s. Tufts says she did not know Lindsay had taken the test. Reddington asks if it’s important for a doctor to know a patient’s medical history. Tufts says Lindsay was able to advocate for herself during the time they met. “You used the word deteriorating on Friday, did you not?” Tufts says she was worse during some appointments, but she doesn’t like the word deteriorating – that was a selection she had to pick while filling out the form.

9:48 a.m. Reddington: “What brought Lindsay Clancy to your office?” Response: “Postpartum anxiety. Those were her words when asked what are the problems for which you are seeking help.” Reddington asks about the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale – a common test used for women with postpartum. Reddington asks what Lindsay’s score was. Tufts says they did not use the test on Lindsay. They administered another test used for anxiety and depression. Tufts says she does not use the Edinburgh scale.

9:46 a.m. Every single appointment Tufts had with Lindsay was telemedicine. She has never seen Lindsay in person until Tufts walked into the courtroom, Reddington asks. That’s true. Reddington asks if Lindsay one time broke down crying during an appointment and if Tufts gave her a hug. Tufts says she couldn’t give her a hug because that’s not something psychiatrists normally do. Reddington asks if there are manifestations patients have that show they are distressed or emotionally disturbed. Tufts says yes. Reddington asks if she saw Lindsay wringing her hands or moving her legs nervously. Tufts couldn’t see her legs on the telemedicine but she knew Lindsay was under stress.

9:45 a.m. Reddington asks if Lindsay was upfront and honest about her mental health record. Tufts says she was. Reddington says there was a lot of talk about Lindsay’s alcohol use on Friday. “What was her drink of choice?” Tufts says she isn’t sure. They weren’t concerned about her alcohol use. Reddington asks if Lindsay was a good student. Tufts doesn’t recall. Reddington asks Tufts if she knows when Lindsay got married. She doesn’t recall. Reddington asks if Tufts spoke with Patrick Clancy. Tufts says she met Patrick once during a telemedicine appointment.

9:39 a.m. Reddington asks how many pages Lindsay went through with her paperwork and checked boxes of symptoms she was experiencing. “A lot of pages.” Reddington says there were a lot of checks and boxes. “Not just boxes,” Tufts says. One of the questions on the form was what medications Lindsay was taking. She wrote that she was on SSRIs – Tufts says they are effective drugs for people suffering from depression. Lindsay was on Prozac in nursing school. Reddington asks how long she was on Prozac. Tufts says she isn’t sure. “You didn’t ask?” Reddington says. Tufts says she writes down what is critically necessary – a lot is discussed over an hour that isn’t written down. Reddington asks if it wasn’t important to write down that she was on an SSRI. Tufts says she asked Lindsay about Prozac. “She said she took if and didn’t mention any side effects.”

9:37 a.m. “You’re a defendant in a very large lawsuit, are you not?” Reddington says. Prosecution objects to the question. Judge overrules. Tufts answers that she is. Reddington asks if she has an attorney. She does. Reddington says if she advertised as a postpartum specialist but had only done her residency and one month of practice, isn’t that negligent? She says she does not believe she was negligent. She says she did not advertise herself as an “expert.”

9:35 a.m. Reddington asks Tufts if she knows why Lindsay came to see her. “I’m not sure exactly,” she responds. Reddington asks about patient intake processes. Tufts says the officer administrators say the patients likely use a patient portal, fill out paperwork, submit it, etc. Tufts says she reviews the forms that are submitted by the patients. Reddington says many of them are mentally ill. Tufts agrees.

9:32 a.m. Reddington asks if people who have postpartum psychosis hear voices. She says many do. Reddington asks how many people Tufts treated with postpartum depression before she saw Lindsay. She says over the span of the one month, “maybe a couple.” Reddington asks Tufts what she put on her website to attract patients. She says it probably includes a special interest in anxiety, perinatal health, etc. Reddington says the website says she specializes in postpartum depression and other mental health issues. Tufts says she treated many women in residency and maybe a couple with postpartum before she saw Lindsay.

9:30 a.m. Reddington asks about an ad featuring Tufts so patients could reach out to her. She says there wasn’t an ad, but they had a website where patients could see her credentials. Reddington asks how many patients she had treated for postpartum psychosis before she began seeing Lindsay Clancy. “In the span of one month, I would say none because it’s very rare,” she responds.

9:28 a.m. Reddington asks when Tufts got her license to start prescribing medication to patients. In August 2022, she got her independent license. She started seeing Lindsay Clancy in September 2022. “So you were practicing as a psychistratist for a month?” Reddington asks. She says she was practicing independently for a month, but had years of experience.

9:25 a.m. Tufts worked at Aster Mental Health. It’s an outpatient treatment center with several psychiatrists and counselors. They have a few offices. Reddington asks how many women she had treated with postpartum before she started as Aster. Tufts says many – she had specific training with that postpartum population. Reddington asks for a number. She says at least 50 over four years.

9:23 a.m. When she finished her residency, she received a certificate. She explains she was a licensed doctor the entire time she was in residency. Once the residency is done, she can become board-certified and be an unrestricted doctor. Tufts got her certification on Sept. 12, 2022. She began working as a psychiatrist and physician during her residency program. She started practicing completely independently in August 2022.

9:22 a.m. Tufts was a resident from 2018-2022. Reddington asks if her residency took place during a large portion of the pandemic. Yes. He asks how the pandemic impacted her residency. “I still went into the hospital most of the time wearing the proper protective equipment, but I absolutely still provided the medical care that was needed.” Tufts says some of the outpatient treatment was done by telemedicine. Reddington asks if she touched people, gave them hugs during the pandemic. She says sometimes, but everyone had to keep their distance at certain times. She began her program before the pandemic and there was more handshaking, things like that.

9:20 a.m. Reddington asks Tufts where she went to medical school. University of Vermont from 2014-2018. She then went to Boston Medical Center for her residency. Reddington asks what she does as a psychiatric resident. “We do a lot.” She says they rotate through different departments, work with patients, work in the emergency room, decide whether patients should be admitted, and maintain a roster of outpatients.

9:15 a.m. Judge welcomes jurors. He says there are a number of witnesses who will testify today, but court may end a little early. Commonwealth has finished direct examination of Dr. Tufts. Reddington will now cross-examine.

9:10 a.m. Judge William F. Sullivan is on the bench. He says “Good morning” to Lindsay Clancy. She responds, “Good morning. Defense and prosecutors are at their tables. Judge calls for a sidebar before proceedings begin.

8:55 a.m. Jurors are returning to the courtroom this morning after the weekend. Dr. Jennifer Tufts, a licensed psychiatrist who has been practicing for four years, will be back on the stand today. Prosecutors questioned her on Friday and Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s attorney, is expected to cross-examine her today.