New Hampshire settles youth center abuse case for $10 million

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- New Hampshire Attorney General's office has reached a $10 million settlement with Michael Gilpatrick, who alleged he was gang-raped in the state's youth detention center during the 1990s. This agreement comes as both parties opted for an out-of-court settlement, averting what would have been the second of over 1,300 lawsuits to go to trial. The payout significantly exceeds the state’s settlement fund cap for abuse victims, although it is less than half of the $38 million awarded in a prior lawsuit that remains under appeal.

Gilpatrick, now 41, was just 14 when he was incarcerated at the Youth Development Center in 1997, alleging that ten staff members inflicted both sexual and physical abuse upon him. He described the harrowing experience of feeling isolated and trapped within the facility, saying it profoundly affected his mental state. "That place turned us into what we were," he remarked in a past interview, reflecting on the trauma he endured.

One particularly disturbing incident involved Gilpatrick being held down by staffers while he was raped by another. Those allegations led to criminal charges against several former staff members, which Gilpatrick dubbed a "hit squad." Recently, one of the men, Brad Asbury, was convicted of being an accomplice to aggravated sexual assault and received a 20 to 40-year prison sentence. Another former staffer, Stephen Murphy, faced a mistrial for charges of rape.

The settlement allows Gilpatrick to avoid another painful court trial, having already testified in criminal cases against the accused. He initially remained silent about his abuse due to the complicity of staff members. Over the years, he worked to reconcile his traumatic experiences, ultimately deciding to come forward in order to seek justice.

Since investigations began in 2019, eleven former youth counselors have been arrested, with mixed outcomes in their cases. The youth center, once housing over 100 children, has seen significant operational changes, with plans for closure and replacement with a smaller facility for the most serious offenders.