The attorney general’s office in New Hampshire has agreed to a $10 million settlement in the case of a man who claimed he was gang-raped at the state’s youth detention center in the 1990s. Michael Gilpatrick’s lawsuit against the state was set to be the second of over 1,300 cases to go to trial, but both parties reached a settlement outside of court. This payout is four times the maximum amount available to claimants through the state’s settlement fund for abuse victims. However, it is less than half of the $38 million awarded by a jury in a separate lawsuit that went to trial first, a decision which is currently in dispute.
Gilpatrick, who was 14 when he was sent to the Youth Development Center in 1997, accused 10 staff members at the Manchester facility of sexual and physical abuse, including repeated rapes and being choked into unconsciousness. In one harrowing incident, Gilpatrick described being held down by two staffers while another raped him and a fourth man forced him into a sexual act. Criminal charges were filed against four former staffers, two of whom have faced trial.
The settlement has spared Gilpatrick from the emotional toll of another court proceeding. He testified at two criminal trials and spoke out about the abuse he endured, highlighting how the ordeal affected him for many years. The settlement marks a step towards closure for Gilpatrick and others who have shared their stories.
The new location now hosts only individuals accused or convicted of the most serious violent crimes, and it features a smaller house.
