Clancy Mistrial Request, Former Child Star Sues Disney, Wildfire Threatens Reno: AM Update 8/25

(upbeat music) - Good morning everyone, I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. Happy birthday, Dougher. And this is your AM update. - Here's the way this works, all right? You don't really ask a lot of questions. You answer the questions. - A prosecution witness drawing a sharp rebuke from the judge in the Lindsay Clancy trial before another answer prompts the defense to demand a mistrial. A former Disney child star taking the company to court over horrifying allegations from the set of a Disney channel movie. The Trump administration threatening to cut off Iran's trading partners from the US financial system as Secretary Bessent launches what he calls an economic D-Day. - We also encourage those folks if they have a place to go, if they have another place to stay, to go ahead and leave the area. - And a fast moving wildfire forcing evacuations in and around Reno, Nevada, nearly 90,000 people being urged to leave their homes. 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Visit takelean.com and enter mk4yourdiscount. That's promo code [email protected]. The murder trial of Lindsey Clancy nearing its conclusion more than three years after she strangled her three young children inside their Massachusetts home and then tried to take her own life. Clancy admitting she killed five year old Kora, three year old Dawson, and eight month old Callan, but arguing that postpartum psychosis left her unable to understand that what she was doing was wrong. Prosecutors content Clancy was mentally ill but still legally responsible for the killings. The defense resting Friday and prosecutors beginning their rebuttal case by calling psychiatrist Dr. Avram Mac. Mac testifying that Clancy suffered from major depression rather than psychosis, retaining the ability to appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington challenging both Mac's experience and the timing of his evaluation, noting the psychiatrist did not even meet Clancy until roughly three years after the children were killed. Mac acknowledging this is only about the third time he has testified in court about a defendant's criminal responsibility while defending himself as a psychiatric generalist. Reddington then walking Mac through the symptoms Clancy experienced before the killings, including severe depression, emotional numbness, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and desperate attempts to sleep. Mac agreeing Clancy suffered major depressive episodes after the birth of her third child, acknowledging psychological testing found no indication that she was lying or exaggerating her symptoms. The psychiatrist also saying he found no record that Clancy's providers conducted blood tests to measure how she was responding to the numerous medications she had been prescribed. The defense contending those providers repeatedly misdiagnosed and overmedicated her. The cross-examination repeatedly growing contentious as Reddington pressed Mac on whether Clancy's distorted sense of reality could be a symptom of psychosis. Judge William Sullivan eventually stepping in when the witness did not directly answer. Delusional beliefs distorted reality is a symptom. Yes or no, not waxing and waning with your answer. Yes or no? Are you referring to an authority there? Dr. Green. Dr. Holon, here's the way this works. If I told you before, if you can't answer a question the way it's framed, just let me know. And I'll tell counsels to frame it in a different way. All right? That's the rules. That's how it works here. So go ahead and just ring them. Prosecutors next calling forensic psychologist, Dr. Kirk Heilbrinn, who interviewed Clancy for several hours and reviewed her medical records, phone data, police reports, surveillance footage, and previous expert evaluations. Heilbrinn and Mac conducting part of their evaluation together, but reaching different diagnoses. Mac diagnosing major depressive disorder. Heilbrinn, concluding Clancy, has bipolar 2 disorder. Although he acknowledged that he struggled to identify a clear manic episode before the killings. The two prosecution experts agreeing, however, that Clancy was not experiencing postpartum psychosis when she killed the children. Heilbrinn focusing on the distinction between a hallucinated voice and an intrusive thought. Clancy reportedly telling him that some of the disturbing thoughts she experienced in the months before the killings, including that her brain was damaged and that she needed to kill herself, felt like her own thoughts rather than a separate voice. Heilbrinn offering a different explanation for the killings, describing the case as, quote, "suicide" combined with altruistic "philoside," meaning killing your children out of what you think is love. The psychologist believing Clancy intended to end her own life after months of suicidal thoughts and killed her children because she believed they would suffer without her. Heilbrinn pointing to Clancy's longstanding anxiety about leaving the children, along with her reported expectation that she and the children would be reunited in heaven. His testimony then veering into Clancy's Catholic upbringing and the church's teaching against suicide. If you could describe for us the evidence that you saw for suicide, combined with altruistic "philoside." One of the things that she said when asked about what happened is that in the course of strangling each child, she said, go to God, baby, go to God. And that was part of her expectation that she and the children would be together in heaven with God. She was raised as a Catholic and this, as I understand, Catholic considerations that's not necessarily what happens, but when I ask her about that, when I said, isn't suicide a moral sin. - Let's see more, Jessica. - Yeah, can I see council over here? - The jury leaving the courtroom, Reddington immediately moving for a mistrial and accusing prosecutors of intentionally eliciting in proper testimony by invoking religion. Prosecutor Jennifer Sprayeg denying misconduct, arguing her question was unrelated to Clancy's religion. Judge Sullivan openly questioning how any discussion of Clancy's faith was proper, but declining to declare a mistrial. The judge instead ordering jurors to disregard Hyalburn's understanding of Catholic doctrine and warning prosecutors to keep the witness from discussing it again. We spoke with the MK True Crime Show co-host, Phil Holloway, who explained why Hyalburn's reference to Clancy's Catholic faith was especially problematic after the judge had already excluded similar testimony earlier in the trial. The testimony about someone's religion or what a different religion's tenants might be and how it plays into a case is the kind of thing that's really just irrelevant to any issue in the case. It has no bearing on what her state of mind was at the time the children were killed. And so the big objection is really not that somebody talked about religion, but it's that they brought in something that's irrelevant to the case and be that invokes religion which can inflame sort of people's passions. And you don't want the jury's passions to be inflamed for the wrong reasons. Holloway breaking down how Hyalburn's theory that Clancy killed her children out of what the doctor calls altruistic philocyde could work for either side. The idea that she would kill her children out of love, thinking that they would be better off dead if she were also dead. That's the kind of disjointed sort of irrational thinking that, you know, the defense is going to play into, especially in a case like this because whether or not she fully appreciated what was right from what was wrong, that's really the core issue in the case. So the prosecutor is going to argue that it shows that she knew what she was doing is wrong. Whereas the defense is going to say what she knew that what she was doing was at least in her mind, in her twisted mind, was for the benefit of the children. In other words, the defense is going to say in her mind, she was helping the children by killing them. And so this is the kind of hard, hard question that the jury is going to have to resolve when they reach the deliberation room. As for Dr. Avram Mack, Holloway calls the defense's cross-examination of him a, quote, masterclass. Holloway arguing Mack's evasive answers may have damaged his credibility with the jury. - When a judge tells a witness, particularly an expert witness who has been in court before and is supposed to know better, when the judge has to tell that witness to listen and answer the questions posed to him, then obviously the jury is going to get the message that the witness is perhaps not trying to be as forthcoming as he needs to be. And so it's not the kind of thing that you want the judge to have to do if it's your witness who is drawing the iron of the court. These were simple questions. And the witness went out of his way to obfuscate and basically not answer simple questions. And the judge got tired of it. And you know if the judge was tired of it, that the jury was tired of it. - Testimony set to resume later today, closing arguments expected to begin as soon as tomorrow. Former Disney child star Raquel Lee below suing the company, alleging it failed to protect her from repeated sexual abuse on the set of a Disney Channel movie back in 2001. The now 39-year-old actress filing a civil negligence lawsuit Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court according to People magazine. Below accusing an unnamed, middle-aged male Disney employee of grooming and repeatedly sexually assaulting her back in '01 when she was just 14 years old. The alleged abuse reportedly occurring during production of the poof point, a Disney Channel movie starring Mark Curry and Don Lewis as scientists whose experiments caused them to become younger. Below playing their daughter alongside fellow child actor, Taj Maury. The lawsuit alleging the unnamed employee gave below alcohol before sexually assaulting her inside a Salt Lake City hotel room where the cast was staying and later during a flight back to California. Below claiming Disney employees had encouraged her to "bond with the man" while production staff allegedly separated the teenage actress from her on-set guardian. The complaint also alleging the employee tormented below in front of other adults, making comments about the alleged abuse while she and other cast members were wearing microphones. Below contending Disney personnel could see a dramatic change in her appearance, behavior, and performance, yet no one intervened or even investigated. Instead, the lawsuit claims Disney executives reportedly labeled the teenager "out of control" blamed her for her worsening performance and canceled another planned role. Below now seeking damages for alleged economic losses and emotional distress, along with punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and other costs, according to people. The complaint not specifying a total amount. Below able to pursue the case because California expanded the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims in 2020, the law allowing survivors to file until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering that the alleged abuse caused lasting psychological harm. The 39-year-old below filing just before that age deadline. California law also allowing a plaintiff to seek up to three times the actual damages if a company or institution is proven to have covered up child sexual abuse according to Deadline. Her attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Jane Kim, releasing a statement, "As former government prosecutors our message to the entertainment industry is simple. This conduct is inexcusable and those involved directly or indirectly must be held accountable." Deadline reporting the attorney's first approach Disney in June in hopes of reaching an out of court settlement, but the two sides reportedly failed to reach an agreement. The outlet also reporting below previously reached a confidential settlement for what was described as a small amount of money with a man who worked on the poof point. That agreement reportedly negotiated back in 2015 with the help of prominent sexual assault attorney, Gloria Allred. The settlement remains confidential. Deadline suggesting that may explain why the allegedly abusive employee is identified only as John Doe in the new lawsuit. Disney declining to comment to Deadline on the lawsuit or its allegations. Coming up, Secretary Bessent launching what he calls an "economic D-Day" against Iran. And nearly 90,000 people urged to leave their homes as a raging wildfire closes in on Reno. [music] We are still a couple months out, but the midterms are fast approaching and make no mistake if the house flips, it's a big deal for our economy. That uncertainty is one of the reasons to consider diversifying now with gold from Birch Gold Group. 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The US effectively forcing them to choose between doing business with Iran or maintaining access to American banks, markets, and the US dollar. Secretary Bessent comparing the broader economic offensive to D-Day during World War II. The Secretary outlining a campaign targeting the oil, shipping, aviation, gold, technology, and digital asset networks keeping money flowing to Tehran. Beginning today, the actions of Treasury and other agencies will tighten the news and block every potential source of revenue that funds the IRGC and the evil Iranian regime. We're enforcing a zero leakage approach. There will be no minimal breathing space for the regime to rebuild its capacity to inflict terror against America and the world. The final refuge of this regime is in the stake and conclusion of nations that still finance the Iranian threat in the hopes of evading it. Yesterday, the Treasury Department sanctioning nearly 60 companies, individuals, and vessels allegedly supporting Iran's nuclear missile cyber and oil operations. Those targets allegedly operating across the UAE, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Switzerland, and more. Secretary Bessent separately declining to publicly identify which countries will face the new penalties or reveal how long they have to end the activity identified by Washington. The Secretary refusing to announce a firm deadline, saying, "I'm not going to set a timeline, but we do not have infinite patience here." Asked whether the broader Secondary Sanctions campaign could also target China itself, reportedly Iran's largest oil customer, Secretary Bessent declaring, "No one is above this." The Secretary issuing a warning to other governments. "Nations that facilitate any interaction with the regime should quickly heed our message. Those who stand with the United States will reap the rewards of our partnership. Those who tether themselves to the Iranian regime should expect to share the isolation of a withering regime." Teams from Treasury, State, and the U.S. military are now meeting with their global counterparts to tell them that the United States expects action. Every country has a defined timeline to shut down activities we have identified. If they do not take action, we will do so unilaterally through Treasury authorities. And let me be clear, any entity that facilitates money laundering on behalf of Iran will be removed from the U.S. dollar system. Axios reporting the expanded Secondary Sanctions are expected to remain the administration's primary strategy against Iran through at least the midterm elections before renewed military action could return to consideration. The campaign's success likely hinging on cooperation from Western allies and a more aggressive approach toward major Iranian trading partners, including China, Russia, and India, according to Axios. Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Muhammad Baguer-Gallibaf dismissing the threat, writing on X quote, "Americans know that no one buys their bombast. Iran's trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don't take these statements into account anywhere." Markets remaining largely unmoved following Secretary-Besson's announcement. The war also straining American military resources beyond the Middle East. The New York Times reporting the U.S. military cancelling a major amphibious landing exercise planned next month alongside South Korea citing constraints on the forces available because of the war in Iran. The U.S. Marine Corps reportedly notifying its South Korean counterpart in June that it could not deploy enough forces for the exercise known as twin dragons. Nearly 90,000 people being urged to leave their homes as a massive wildfire closes in on Reno Nevada. The hawk fire scorching more than 15,000 acres since first igniting Saturday morning in the foothills northwest of the city. Roughly 42,000 residents ordered to evacuate immediately with another 45,000 people in the surrounding warning zone being told to prepare to leave. Officials expanding the mandatory evacuation zone to the edge of the University of Nevada Reno covering large residential areas and part of U.S. Route 395, though stopping short of downtown. Residents describing the chaos to Fox News and ABC7 as the fire forces them from their homes. I didn't even pack anything. Took the dog, the dump trailer, and titles to vehicles and left. The power went out. My husband was honest again. The smoke was feeling in our house. You could smell it and it was his time for us to go. It's just so real because you never think that it's going to be you or you're in that situation and I loaded up all my photo albums from parents and families. I called maybe 20 hotels. I had two hours of sleep. All the hotels were booked within the entire city of Reno. At least six people reported the injured, including three emergency responders. Multiple homes reportedly damaged or destroyed. Officials now assessing the full extent of the destruction. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declaring a state emergency in Washoe County directing state agencies to reinforce the local response and mobilizing the National Guard to assist firefighters and law enforcement. Truckee Meadows fire and rescue chief Richard Edwards Monday on CNN discussing the investigation into the fire's origin. We do know that it's human cause because there was no natural ignition sources there present in the area. It's kind of a more remote area outside of the city center but the investigators are still working to determine exactly how it was caused. But we are fairly certain it's human cause. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. 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