Lindsay Clancy trial reporter faces death threats

By Sohail Khan 27 August 2026, 9:53 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty24,090.85-116.91

Precious Metal
Gold (MCX) (Rs/10g.)159,200.00-463.0

Enter search text:

Business News›News›International›Global Trends›Lindsay Clancy trial update: Vanity Fair pulls journalist after courtroom smile and wink goes viral; Brittany Romano says "I was laughing because…"

Read Today's Paper

Lindsay Clancy trial update: Vanity Fair pulls journalist after courtroom smile and wink goes viral; Brittany Romano says "I was laughing because…"
Synopsis

Lindsay Clancy trial: The Lindsay Clancy trial has sparked a new controversy after journalist Brittany Romano was seen smiling and appearing to wink at a courtroom camera. Vanity Fair pulled Romano from its coverage, while the journalist says the viral backlash has resulted in death threats and abusive messages. I was laughing because I grew up with Lindsay, the journalist said.

The Lindsay Clancy trial has taken an unexpected turn after journalist Brittany Romano faced intense online criticism over a brief moment in the courtroom that showed her smiling and appearing to wink at a camera.

Romano, who said she grew up with Clancy, has since defended her reaction and claimed she is now receiving death threats and abusive messages. The controversy also led Vanity Fair to withdraw a planned personal essay and inform the court that Romano was no longer credentialed by the magazine.

ALSO READ: How 20-year-old Barron Trump built a $150 million fortune from crypto and a $39 energy drink and became richer than US First Lady Melania Trump

Reporter’s courtroom smile sparks backlash

The incident happened Monday at Plymouth Superior Court in Massachusetts as a camera livestreaming the trial panned across the courtroom gallery. Romano, who was wearing a green dress, was captured smiling toward the camera and appearing to wink.

The brief clip quickly spread on social media, where viewers questioned how a journalist could appear cheerful during a trial involving the deaths of three children.

ALSO READ: Walmart heiress sisters’ starkly different billionaire lives: Nancy Walton Laurie’s $300 million superyacht Kaos vs Ann Walton Kroenke’s 510,527-acre Texas ranch, 13 times the size of Washington DC

The case has attracted intense attention because Clancy, 36, is accused of killing her three children at the family’s Duxbury home in January 2023. Her defense does not dispute that she killed the children but argues that she was suffering from severe mental illness, including postpartum psychosis. Prosecutors maintain that she was criminally responsible for her actions.

Brittany Romano explains why she was smiling

Romano later pushed back against the criticism, saying the expression captured on camera did not mean she was indifferent to the case. “I smile through anxiety. I smile when I'm uncomfortable,” Romano said in response to the backlash.

A journalist covering the Lindsay Clancy murder trial has lost her press credentials to the courtroom after a video went viral of her smiling and winking Monday on a courtroom livestream.

Brittany Romano grew up with Clancy and was in court to write a personal essay for Vanity… pic.twitter.com/UGfpJqwk3T

— Mosheh Oinounou (@Mosheh) August 25, 2026

She also explained that she had a personal connection to Clancy, saying the two grew up in the same area of Connecticut.

ALSO READ: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s fried chicken dinner with Samsung, Hyundai chiefs sent Korean chicken stocks soaring, Marvell shares jumped 32% after his $1 trillion call

Romano said her father had previously watched her appear on television while covering the trial and told her that she looked unhappy. When she later noticed the courtroom camera, she said she remembered his comment and began smiling.

“I was laughing because I grew up with Lindsay,” Romano said while explaining the moment. The journalist has said she had been following the case for roughly two years and was interested in reporting on the mental-health issues at the center of the defense.

Vanity Fair ends planned essay

The controversy quickly spilled into Romano's relationship with Vanity Fair. The magazine had been considering a personal essay from Romano about her experience growing up with Clancy. But after the courtroom incident, Vanity Fair said it had decided not to publish the piece and notified the court that Romano was no longer credentialed by the publication.

“Yesterday, after clear conflicts with our editorial standards and processes, we informed Romano that we were not moving forward with her essay and informed the court that she is no longer credentialed by Vanity Fair,” the magazine said.

Romano has disputed the characterization of the situation, saying she was a freelance journalist rather than a staff reporter.

The controversy was also fueled by a social-media post showing Romano with Clancy's defense attorney Kevin Reddington and two other women. The image drew additional scrutiny because of Romano's personal connection to the defendant.

Journalist says she is receiving death threats

As the video continued to circulate, Romano said the online reaction became much more serious. She claimed she received abusive messages, including threats and comments telling her to harm herself.

“A smile is not a crime. Telling a woman to slit her wrists is,” Romano wrote while responding to the criticism. Romano has maintained that she does not believe she owes an apology for the brief courtroom reaction.

The episode has opened a wider debate about how journalists should conduct themselves while covering emotionally charged criminal proceedings — and about how quickly a few seconds of courtroom footage can turn into a viral social-media controversy.

Lindsay Clancy trial nears closing arguments

Meanwhile, the Lindsay Clancy trial is moving toward its final phase.

Testimony concluded Wednesday after prosecutors presented their final expert testimony. A prosecution forensic psychiatrist testified that Clancy was mentally ill but understood the difference between right and wrong when the killings occurred, while the defense has continued to emphasize her alleged postpartum psychosis and deteriorating mental health.

Closing arguments are expected next, bringing the closely watched trial one step closer to a verdict.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
Lindsay Clancy trialBrittany RomanoVanity FairLindsay Clancycourtroom controversyjournalist death threatscourtroom smilecourtroom winkpostpartum psychosisMassachusetts trial

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year