A courtroom is generally not the place to test out your best camera-ready smile. But Vanity Fair reporter Brittany Romano learned that lesson the hard way after a brief on-camera moment at the Lindsay Clancy murder trial went viral.
During Monday’s proceedings in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a CourtTV camera panned across the courtroom gallery when Romano appeared to smile and wink directly toward the camera. The moment lasted only seconds, but the internet, naturally, had already sharpened its pitchforks.
Romano, who has said she grew up with Clancy, later explained that her reaction was connected to her personal familiarity with the defendant. According to reports, she also said her father had commented that she looked angry or upset while appearing on television, prompting her to giggle.
That explanation did little to calm the online backlash.
The Lindsay Clancy trial concerns the deaths of Clancy’s three children, making it one of the most emotionally charged criminal cases currently receiving national attention. Clancy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, with her defense arguing that she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis.
The controversy surrounding Romano quickly escalated beyond social media criticism. Vanity Fair announced that it had pulled Romano’s courtroom credentials and would no longer move forward with a proposed personal essay about her experience growing up with Clancy. The magazine cited conflicts with its editorial standards and processes.
Romano subsequently addressed the backlash on Instagram, saying she had received abusive messages and noting that the controversy had significantly boosted her social media analytics.
For Vanity Fair reporter Brittany Romano, a few seconds of smiling and winking became an unexpected media firestorm. In the courtroom, the cameras may have been focused on the Lindsay Clancy trial—but for one viral moment, the internet was watching the gallery instead.
In the age of courtroom livestreams, it appears there is one very important rule for journalists: assume the camera is always watching.
