Staff Reports
Defense lawyer Kevin Reddington took a national TV mic and asked President Donald Trump to pardon his client, Lindsay Clancy, after a judge declared a mistrial. It made for dramatic television. It did not change the law. Anyone who watched that clip and expected a pardon to suddenly appear needs a civics refresher — preferably one with fewer commercial breaks.
What played out on live TV
On Good Morning America, Reddington told host George Stephanopoulos, “Mr. President, I would hope that you would consider this young lady… and consider a pardon.” The plea followed Judge William Sullivan’s declaration of a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. President Donald Trump had already weighed in publicly, calling the case “a horrible tragedy” and saying there would be “a price.” That exchange lit up cable news, social media, and every commentator’s must-fill airtime.
Why a presidential pardon can’t help
State crimes are not federal business
Here’s the part TV hosts kept skipping: the President’s pardon power covers federal offenses only. A presidential pardon cannot erase or stop state criminal charges. If anyone wants a real pardon for a state crime in Massachusetts, they must go through Governor Maura Healey and the state’s clemency machinery. Asking President Trump to grant state clemency is performative — like asking a lifeguard to pilot your airplane.
Political theater, not a legal strategy
Reddington surely knew the constitutional limits. So why make the plea on national television? Because it helps shape the narrative. It nationalizes the story, rallies sympathy, and puts pressure — however unfair — on Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz. That doesn’t change the legal choices Cruz faces: retry the case, reduce charges, negotiate a plea, or dismiss. Grandstanding won’t lower the burden of proof or make state law read like a federal statute.
What should happen next
The right outcome is sober, not theatrical. The victims deserve justice, and the rule of law deserves respect. If prosecutors believe they can win a retrial, they should proceed. If they need to reassess evidence or juror issues, do that work in court, not on morning TV. And for the record: no, President Donald Trump can’t wave a magic pardon wand over state charges. The public should demand seriousness from attorneys and reporters who seem to prefer stunts to substance.
