Second juror in New Hampshire youth center abuse trial explains verdict, says state misinterpreted

By HOLLY RAMER
Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A second juror who awarded a New Hampshire man $38 million in a landmark lawsuit over abuse at the state’s youth detention center has contacted attorneys with concerns about the outcome. Jurors sided with David Meehan on Friday in finding the state’s negligence allowed him to be beaten and raped at the Youth Development Center in the 1990s. But the state says the award would be reduced because claimants against the state can only recover $475,000 “per incident.” On Sunday, the juror said the jury believed Meehan suffered more than 100 injuries but that the panel wrote he had proven only one incident at trial — his post-traumatic stress disorder. The jury foreperson also emailed Meehan’s attorneys to complain.