November 26th 2024.
A former leader at a youth detention centre in the US has been found guilty by a jury for his involvement in a horrific incident that took place over two decades ago. Bradley Asbury, who is now 70 years old, has been convicted on two counts of being an accomplice to aggravated sexual assault. The maximum prison sentence for each count is 20 years. It took the jury three days to come to a decision after a four-day trial.
Asbury used to be a house leader at the Sununu Youth Services Centre in Manchester. He was accused of restraining a 14-year-old boy named Michael Gilpatrick on a staircase with the help of a colleague. While this was happening, another staff member raped the teen and a fourth forced him to perform a sex act. This case is part of a larger investigation into abuse that has been going on at the centre for years. Asbury is one of 11 men who have been arrested for their involvement in this horrific incident.
During the trial, Gilpatrick, who is now 41 years old, testified about the attack and how it has affected him over the years. He shared that talking about it in court was a part of his healing process and he wanted to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. He also recalled having an out-of-body experience during the attack, saying, "I can see it happening, but I can't do anything. I was just not there. But there."
After the verdict was announced, Gilpatrick cried and embraced his family members. He expressed his gratitude and said, "God is good and the truth prevailed. And I was believed." Asbury, on the other hand, shook his head in disbelief as he was handcuffed and taken away. His defense attorney, David Rothstein, did not make any comments as he left the courthouse.
Assistant Attorney General Adam Woods, who was part of the prosecution team, said that they hope the verdict brings some relief to the victim. During the trial, Gilpatrick had several heated exchanges with Rothstein, even calling him a "sick man" at one point. However, during closing arguments, Rothstein apologized for any upset he may have caused. He also claimed that Gilpatrick had created a fictional world in which he had made up villains to explain the struggles in his life. Rothstein argued that the crime was virtually impossible to commit as there were no eyewitnesses or evidence to support Gilpatrick's claims.
The prosecution, on the other hand, argued that while Gilpatrick may not have a perfect recollection of all the events surrounding the rape, he has always been consistent in his recall of the key event. They also pointed out that Gilpatrick couldn't tell anyone at the time because Asbury was in a position of authority. Woods stated, "Instead of guiding Mike, counselling him, showing him a better way to go out and live his life, these four grown men, including the defendant, shattered the trust."
In a separate case, Victor Malavet, who was also accused of rape at the Concord facility, had a mistrial in September after the jurors couldn't come to a unanimous decision. A new trial for this case has yet to be scheduled. The investigation has also resulted in several civil lawsuits, with over 1100 former residents alleging physical, sexual, or emotional abuse spanning six decades. In one case, a jury awarded David Meehan $US38 million for the abuse he suffered at the centre in the 1990s. However, the state is trying to reduce the amount to $US475,000. The Associated Press does not usually identify sexual assault victims unless they have come forward publicly, like Meehan and Gilpatrick have done.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT.
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