The juror who declined to find Lindsay Clancy guilty of killing her three children has retained legal representation from someone who once handled defamation matters for Donald Trump. This development follows a wave of personal attacks against the juror since the trial ended without a verdict.
Only Michael P. Desronvil refused to agree with his fellow jurors in the Clancy trial, which collapsed into a mistrial because the panel could not come to a unanimous decision. His lawyers maintain that he felt excluded from the deliberations and insists that the physical evidence clearly supported a finding of premeditated murder.
Clancy, 36, faced three counts of first-degree murder for the killings of her children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan. Their bodies were found dead at their home in January 2023.
Desronvil’s Statement
In a statement first reported by NewsNation and confirmed by Paltzik to Fox News Digital, Desronvil said he didn’t have any doubts during deliberations. He felt cut off when he tried to explain his theories.
The prosecutor argued that the physical evidence, key witnesses and the presentation of the case all established that Clancy was criminally responsible for killing her three children.
On Sept. 4, Judge William Sullivan called off the trial when the jury could not agree, with the count split 11-1. The case will return to court on Sept. 29 for a status check.
Prosecutors in Plymouth County are considering whether to put Clancy on trial again, while her lawyers have floated the idea of settling the matter short of a second jury trial.
The Trump Lawyer’s Track Record
Trump was previously represented by Edward Paltzik in a lawsuit against the New York Times. That suit claimed the Times had falsely described Trump’s business success as fraudulent before the 2024 presidential election. The case was thrown out in 2025, and it was later filed again.
Paltzik also represented Trump in a lawsuit against CBS after “60 Minutes” was accused of selectively editing an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. In July 2025, Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million, which the company said would go toward Trump’s future presidential library.
The CBS interview created “mental anguish” and confusion among viewers, according to Paltzik, who added that it misled voters and reduced attention to Trump and his online platform, Truth Social.
During his legal battle with ABC News, Trump was represented by a lawyer whose work there eventually led to a settlement of $15 million. That money later helped support Trump’s future presidential library.
The Nolan Wells Case
Paltzik is also representing three friends of Nolan Wells, 18, who went missing July 4 after a boat trip to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Crews searched the area for two days before a National Parks Service ranger found Wells’ remains on the island’s northwestern tip on July 6.
In August, Paltzik started working for the friends of Wells after several social media influencers made false claims against them. The three friends Paltzik represents are Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour.
Tyler Cox, an attorney based in Mississippi, and Paltzik released a shared statement confirming they will take legal action against anyone who spreads false claims. The statement described the three young men as “completely innocent”, and it insisted that the truth is that they had no involvement in Wells’ death.
Standing Up for Himself
Fox News Digital reports Mark Astor, who previously worked as a prosecutor and specializes in behavioral health law, said it is evident that Desronvil has kept counsel to “stand up for himself.”.
Kevin Reddington, the attorney for Desronvil’s name and reputation is being dragged through the mud, citing attacks by Clancy’, has been seen close to the courthouse ever since the mistrial was announced, according to Astor.
The threat to a system that relies on people’s willingness to serve comes from the exposure linked to the Clancy jury, according to Astor.
Paltzik characterized Desronvil as an “American hero” and “Champion of justice”, and added that he has no plans to speak with other media outlets for now.
What Happens Next
Prosecutors hold the power to decide whether Clancy should be retried. Her lawyers have indicated they would prefer to resolve the case without putting her on trial again before a jury.
Desronvil’s legal team is now focused on protecting his reputation. The juror’s position has drawn attention from those who believe the trial should have reached a verdict.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan. 2023 | Children found dead at home |
| Sept. 4 | Mistrial declared |
| Sept. 29 | Status hearing scheduled |
No final word has yet come on the matter. It is still unclear whether the case will go before a jury again or end through an agreement reached outside the courtroom.
Desronvil thinks the evidence backed his stance, and he wants to make that case public. That is why the juror chose to hire Paltzik, acting not to stay quiet but to answer the attacks against him.
Paltzik knows his way around the law governing Desronvil. He has represented Trump in defamation cases, and he now applies that background to a juror whose identity is the subject of disagreement.
Desronvil currently has legal representation. Whether there is another trial, a settlement, or some combination of the two will depend on what prosecutors decide over the next few weeks.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs the juror’s right to speak freely after a mistrial and is against any effort to punish him for refusing to agree with his fellow jurors. A juror who holds his ground despite pressure on the panel deserves to stand and defend himself.
This juror’s choice to hire a lawyer with experience handling defamation cases is a natural response to the personal attacks that followed the mistrial. The juror’s own account, as reported, says he felt excluded from deliberations but never doubted the physical evidence supporting a finding of premeditated murder.
The paper would want the juror to have every opportunity to tell his side of what happened in the jury room. The case will return to court Sept. 29 for a status check, and prosecutors will decide whether to retry Clancy. Until then, the juror’s right to speak remains intact.
Source material: “Clancy holdout juror taps former Trump lawyer to fight back as he’s ‘dragged through the mud’: attorney,” Fox News.
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