MANCHESTER, N.H. — The first of several sexual assault trials commenced on Wednesday for a man whose arrest over five years ago brought to light serious allegations of widespread abuse at New Hampshire’s state-operated youth detention facility.
Stephen Murphy, 55, formerly a youth counselor from Danvers, Massachusetts, faces 16 charges relating to incidents involving four boys at the Youth Development Center in Manchester during the late 1990s. In this particular case, he is charged with aggravated felonious sexual assault, accused of aiding in the carrying of a 14-year-old boy to a stairwell where he was allegedly raped while coworkers held him down.
Michael Gilpatrick, the individual accusing Murphy, has previously testified during two separate occasions: once in a civil lawsuit involving another former resident of the youth center, and again during a criminal trial for Brad Asbury, who Gilpatrick claims restrained him. Gilpatrick characterized Murphy, Asbury, and others as a “hit squad” that frequently terrorized the young residents.
“The four of them used to roll together,” Gilpatrick recounted in April. “They would literally come over and just go door to door and beat every single one of us, down the line.”
Asbury, now 70, was found guilty in November on two counts of being an accomplice to aggravated sexual assault, and prosecutors have indicated he may serve as a witness against Murphy, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
During the opening statements on Wednesday, defense attorney Charles Keefe pointed out numerous discrepancies between Gilpatrick’s police statements from 2020 and his more recent courtroom testimony. He insinuated that Gilpatrick may have fabricated the allegations in hopes of securing a substantial financial settlement from his ongoing civil case against the state.
“Steve Murphy did not rape Michael Gilpatrick. Steve Murphy did not slam Michael Gilpatrick to the floor,” Keefe asserted, questioning how an alleged assault could occur in a busy building.
Assistant Attorney General Audriana Mekula countered by presenting jurors with a photo of Gilpatrick from his youth. Now at 41 years old, Gilpatrick has decided to no longer conceal his experiences. “This trial is about how Mike was raped. It is not about revenge. It is not about money; it is about how this defendant forcibly raped Mike,” Mekula emphasized.
Murphy, along with another former employee, faced arrest in July 2019 on charges that included sexually assaulting David Meehan. Meehan became the pioneer of over 1,100 former residents filing lawsuits against the state for various abuses, sexual, physical, and emotional, that have persisted for six decades.
Following Murphy’s arrest, the attorney general’s office initiated a comprehensive investigation into the facility, presently known as the Sununu Youth Services Center. So far, 11 men have been arrested; one has had charges dropped due to insufficient evidence, another was deemed incompetent for trial, and a third has passed away while awaiting proceedings. Murphy represents the fourth individual to face trial within this context.
In addition to Asbury, Stanley Watson was recently convicted on three counts of aggravated sexual assault against two minors. Another case connected to these matters, which ended undecided, is scheduled to undergo retrial later this year.
Before the accusations, Murphy was employed as a clubhouse attendant for the Boston Red Sox; the organization suspended him upon becoming aware of the allegations. Murphy had transitioned to that role in 2007 after previously working as a special education teacher and high school basketball coach, as noted in a 2010 interview.
Typically, the press opts not to disclose the identities of sexual assault victims unless they choose to come forward, as is the case with Meehan and Gilpatrick. Meehan’s lawsuit is the sole civil case that has reached trial thus far, with a jury awarding him $38 million in May, although that decision is currently under challenge as the state seeks to significantly lower the award to $475,000.
The youth center, once accommodating over 100 youths, now caters to fewer than 12 individuals. Named after former Governor John H. Sununu, the facility is set to be closed following legislative approval. It will be replaced with a much smaller establishment located at a new site, designated for those accused or convicted of the most severe violent offenses.
