Clancy bowed her head as the media begin to exit the room.

Reddington, looking upset, could be seen consoling his client, holding her in a side hug and rubbing her back as journalists left court.

The defence lawyer told reporters afterwards that the forewoman’s note to the judge stated that there was one holdout in the jury who, as he described it, “refuses to listen to the law… on reasonable doubt”.

Reddington said he had suggested to the judge “a motion to remove the juror who refuses to accept your instructions on the law on a reasonable doubt”.

The defence lawyer said he had no indication of what this lone juror was thinking and he did not confirm the 11-1 split the jury forewoman reported earlier.

The issue with the juror is expected to be addressed again when court convenes at 09:00 EST (14:00 BST) on Friday.

If the jury does not reach a verdict and Judge Sullivan declares a mistrial, prosecutors would need to decide whether to retry the case.

Clancy faces life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder.

If found not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, or reason of insanity, she could be committed to a state psychiatric hospital.

Under US law, a jury must unanimously believe “beyond a reasonable doubt” that someone is guilty in order to convict them of a crime.

The designation is the strictest standard in the US legal system. It places the burden on the government to prove that the accused is guilty, and not the accused to prove their innocence.

If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org.

In the UK a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.