A judge has issued a preliminary ruling drastically reducing the $38 million awarded to a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit involving abuse at New Hampshire's youth detention center.
The Reduced Verdict
Rockingham County Superior Court Judge Andrew Schulman has decided to lower the $38 million verdict to $475,000 following a lawsuit filed by David Meehan. The case stems from allegations of physical and sexual abuse that Meehan, 42, suffered in the 1990s while at the Youth Development Center (now the Sununu Youth Services Center) in Manchester. Meehan’s civil case was the first of over 1,100 lawsuits filed over the same facility's practices.
While Judge Schulman initially expressed concerns that reducing the amount by 99% would be a "miscarriage of justice," he has reluctantly agreed to the state's request to cap the award. The judge has stated that a final ruling will be issued, barring any last-minute motions from the attorneys.
Legal Issues with the Verdict Form
The reduction stems from a legal misunderstanding related to the jury's verdict form. Jurors were asked how many incidents of abuse Meehan had proven, and they marked "one" as their response. However, the jurors were not informed that New Hampshire law caps damages at $475,000 per incident. The state interpreted the jury’s decision to mean that only one incident of abuse had occurred, despite Meehan’s claims of enduring over 100 episodes of mistreatment.
The jury’s decision led to confusion about how much they could award, as they were unaware of the cap when deliberating. Some jurors later clarified that they meant to reflect a single instance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from the extensive abuse.
Criminal and Civil Impact
Meehan's case sparked criminal investigations, leading to 11 former state workers being arrested, though some charges were dropped, and one defendant died. The criminal trials stemming from this scandal have had mixed results. The first trial ended in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a verdict, and another defendant, Bradley Asbury, is set to face trial next week for his alleged role in abuse at the Manchester facility.
Next Steps
Meehan's legal team had asked for a new trial or a re-evaluation of the verdict, but Judge Schulman has denied these requests. He suggested that a new trial could still be an option, though Meehan’s attorneys have not moved to pursue this option.
The case remains a significant point of contention, highlighting the complex intersection of civil law, criminal justice, and state liability in cases of abuse in state-run institutions.
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