Legally, a mistrial does not become final until it is announced in open court with the jury present. That is why Judge Sullivan was able to pause the proceedings for an hour while the SJC considered the emergency motion. During that window, the mistrial was effectively pending but not yet official.
This procedural detail gave the defense a narrow but critical opportunity to seek relief from the highest court in the state. Had the SJC granted the stay, the mistrial could have been delayed or even prevented, at least temporarily, while the court examined the alleged juror issue more closely.
Once the SJC denied the request, however, that window closed. Judge Sullivan was free to finalize the mistrial, and the first trial of Lindsay Clancy officially ended without a verdict.
