Mistrial declared after New Hampshire jury deadlocks in youth detention center rape case

CONCORD, N.H. — A judge declared a mistrial Wednesday after jurors deadlocked on whether a former worker at New Hampshire’s youth detention center raped a 14-year-old boy in 1998, but the defendant still faces 15 other charges in separate cases. During his three-day trial, jurors heard from Michael Gilpatrick, who previously had testified about the allegations at both Asbury’s criminal trial and at a civil trial involving another former youth center resident. Our common experience tells us that the more we talk about something awful that actually happened, the easier it is.” Assistant Attorney General Audriana Mekula countered that Gilpatrick came forward “not for money that he doesn’t need or attention that he doesn’t want” but because it was the right thing to do, even if it meant hours talking about sexual assault in a courtroom packed with Murphy’s friends and relatives. “He has not healed from what the defendant did to him, but his behavior in that healing process does not mean he’s forfeited his privilege for you to believe him.” Murphy and another former employee were arrested in July 2019 and charged with sexually assaulting David Meehan, who later became the first of more than 1,100 former residents who have sued the state alleging physical, sexual or emotional abuse spanning six decades.