A man responsible for staff training and investigations at New Hampshire's youth detention center testified on Monday that high-ranking administrators supported staff over residents, while lower-level workers aimed to penalize children for speaking out.
Virgil Bossom resumed his testimony on the fourth day of a civil trial aimed at holding the state responsible for child abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center, formerly known as the Youth Development Center, in Manchester.
Plaintiff David Meehan contends the state's failure in hiring and training, which had him endure repeated beatings, sexual assaults, and extended periods of solitary confinement over three years in the late 1990s. Meanwhile, the state contends that it should not be held responsible for the actions of a few rogue employees.
State Workers Facing Criminal Charges
Eleven former state workers, including those accused by Meehan, are currently facing criminal charges, and over 1,100 other former residents have filed lawsuits alleging abuse dating back six decades. This has resulted in a unique situation where the attorney general's office prosecutes the alleged perpetrators and defends the state in civil cases.
Bossom, a training development manager and later interim ombudsman during Meehan's tenure at the facility, recounted discussing with the facility's superintendent his investigation into what Bossom believed to be a valid complaint. Reflecting on the conversation, Bossom expressed his dismay at the superintendent's assertion that he could not prioritize a child's testimony over that of a staff member.
According to Bossom, even higher-level administrators who oversee both the Manchester facility and a pre-trial facility in Concord shared the same perspective, with other staff members taking disciplinary measures against teenagers found with unsubstantiated complaints.
Bossom's Interrogation
The state's lawyers countered Bossom's assertion by presenting evidence suggesting administrators took complaints seriously. Attorney Martha Gaythwaite directed Bossom to review documents indicating that an employee was terminated for physically harming a boy by twisting his arm and pushing him against a wall.
Gaythwaite highlighted that YDC's management terminated the employment of employees who broke the rules in the mid-1990s, which Bossom acknowledged only for such a particular instance. He also admitted that he never voiced concerns about Meehan being abused, nor did he bring attention to wider issues during that period.
Gaythwaite challenged Bossom's testimony, suggesting that he had suspected abuse and heavy-handedness but failed to address it adequately, contending that he was responsible for bringing such issues to leadership's attention as an ombudsman. Gaythwaite also questioned Bossom about an incident involving Meehan being accused of plotting to take another resident hostage and escape.
Meehan's attorney, David Vicinanzo, pointed out that the individual intended to be taken as a hostage was aware of the plan. Given Meehan's experience of enduring almost daily sexual assaults during that period, Vicinanzo questioned Meehan's plan to escape, which Bossom denied.
Lawyers Challenging Meehan's Credibility
Lawyers representing the state have also started to challenge Meehan's credibility, even though prosecutors will depend on his testimony during the criminal trials. The state's lawyers had Bossom review reports related to an incident where Meehan alleged that a worker gave him a black eye after Meehan spit and swore at him. However, this complaint was ultimately deemed unfounded.
Meehan also lodged complaints that the same worker, along with another, had forcibly thrown him onto a bed and choked him. Although a nurse noted that she observed no physical signs of injury, remarking that his eyes only appeared red due to excessive rage and anger. When questioned by Meehan's attorney, Bossom suggested that red eyes could indicate choking. The workers implicated in both incidents are among those facing criminal charges.
The youth center, previously accommodating over 100 children but now usually housing fewer than a dozen, is named after former Governor John H. Sununu, the father of current Governor Chris Sununu. Following Meehan's report to the police in 2017, legislators have sanctioned the closure of the facility, which now only detains individuals accused or convicted of the most severe violent offenses, and plans are underway to replace it with a significantly smaller facility in a different location. Lawmakers also established a $100 million fund to address abuse claims.
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