Editorial: YDC verdict controversy

THIS IS A WMUR EDITORIAL. SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD, WMUR PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER ANDREW ANDREW VREES. HE RAN AWAY FROM HOME, WAS CAUGHT STEALING, AND WAS PUT INTO STATE CUSTODY TO BE REFORMED. INSTEAD, HE WAS MENTALLY, SEXUALLY AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED. NOW HE’S SUFFERING AGAIN. THIS TIME AT THE HANDS OF OUR LEGAL SYSTEM. DAVID MEEHAN’S CASE IS THE FIRST OF HUNDREDS OF LAWSUITS TO GO TO TRIAL AGAINST THE FORMER YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER. THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE CENTER AND THE STATE DATE BACK DECADES. THE ABUSE WAS HORRENDOUS, DEMEANING AND TRAUMATIZING. THE VICTIMS LIVES WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME, MR. MEEHAN SAT IN A ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SUPERIOR COURTROOM IN BRENTWOOD FOR FOUR WEEKS, WHERE HE HAD TO RELIVE THE ABUSE HE SUFFERED WHILE IN STATE CUSTODY. THAT’S WHERE HE SAYS HE WAS REPEATEDLY RAPED, BEATEN AND PUT INTO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AS A TEENAGER. THE JURY IN THE CASE RULED IN MR. MEEHAN’S FAVOR, SAYING THE STATE WAS NEGLIGENT AND DIDN’T DO ITS JOB TO PROTECT HIM. THEY DELIVERED HIM A $38 MILLION VERDICT FOR A FEW MOMENTS. MR. MEEHAN MUST HAVE FELT A GREAT SENSE OF VINDICATION. THE SYSTEM THAT DESTROYED HIS LIFE WAS GOING TO PAY OFF IN A BIG WAY. AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A CASE OF THIS TYPE, MEEHAN’S ATTORNEY SAID. DAVID NOW FEELS LIKE HE HAS A REASON TO LIVE. BUT THAT VICTORY WAS SHORT LIVED. THE STATE IS NOW ARGUING THE VERDICT SHOULD BE REDUCED TO JUST UNDER HALF $1 MILLION. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE, CITING STATE LAW THAT CAPS PAYMENTS TO $475,000 PER INCIDENT. REMEMBER THAT WORD INCIDENT? HERE’S WHERE THINGS GET MESSY ON THE VERDICT FORM, THE JURY WROTE MEEHAN HAD ONLY PROVEN ONE INCIDENT PTSD. NOW THEY’RE COMING FORWARD TO CLARIFY THAT THEY GROUPED ALL THE INCIDENTS TOGETHER AND THEY MISUNDERSTOOD THE VERDICT FORM, SAYING, DAVID SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO WHAT WE REWARDED HIM. AND I WAS LITERALLY SICKENED AND BROUGHT TO TEARS IN FEAR OF THE MISTAKE WE MADE. SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE MR. MEEHAN? THE STATE IS STICKING TO THE $475,000 REWARD, AND HIS ATTORNEYS ARE FIGHTING IT. AND NOW THE JUDGE IN THE CASE HAS SAID HE WILL NOT RECALL THE JURY. THERE’S A LOT AT STAKE HERE. THIS CASE COULD IMPACT OUTSTANDING CRIMINAL CASES AND HAD HUNDREDS OF OTHER CIVIL CASES. MORE $38 MILLION VERDICTS COMING FROM STATE COFFERS. YOUR TAX DOLLARS COULD PUT THE STATE IN A PRECARIOUS FINANCIAL POSITION. WHATEVER HAPPENS NEXT, THE DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THIS CIVIL CASE AND THE VERDICT ARE A DISSERVICE TO MANY THE JURORS WHO GAVE THEIR TIME TO THOUGHTFULLY LISTEN TO DIFFICULT TESTIMONY AND THEN REACHING A VERDICT, AND MOSTLY FOR MR. MEEHAN, WHO IS NO DOUBT SUFFERING. AGAIN, THE QUESTION NOW IS, AFTER ALL, THE LEGAL WRANGLING AND APPEALS ARE DONE, WILL JUSTICE EVER BE SERVED? SEND YOUR COMMENTS T

He ran away from home, was caught stealing and was put into state custody to be reformed. Instead, he was mentally, sexually and physically abused.Now, he's suffering again, this time at the hands of our legal system.David Meehan's case is the first of hundreds of lawsuits to go to trial against the former Youth Development Center.The allegations against the center and the state date back decades. The abuse was horrendous, demeaning and traumatizing. The victims' lives would never be the same.Mr. Meehan sat in a Rockingham County Superior courtroom in Brentwood for four weeks, where he had to relive the abuse he suffered while in state custody. That's where, he says, he was repeatedly raped, beaten and put into solitary confinement as a teenager.The jury in the case ruled in Mr. Meehan's favor, saying the state was negligent and didn't do its job to protect him. They delivered him a $38 million verdict.For a few moments, Mr. Meehan must have felt a great sense of vindication. The system that destroyed his life was going to pay – in a big way, an unprecedented amount of money for a case of this type.Meehan's attorney said, "David now feels like he has a reason to live."But that victory was short-lived. The state is now arguing the verdict should be reduced to just under half a million dollars, the attorney general's office citing state law that caps payments to $475,000 per incident. Remember that word: "incident."Here's where things get messy. On the verdict form, the jury wrote Meehan had only proven one "incident," PTSD. Now, they're coming forward to clarify that they grouped all the incidents together, and they misunderstood the verdict form, saying, "David should be entitled to what we rewarded him," and, "I was literally sickened and brought to tears in fear of the mistake we made."So, where does that leave Mr. Meehan? The state is sticking to the $475,000 award, and his attorneys are fighting it. And now, the judge in the case has said he will not recall the jury.There's a lot at stake here. This case could impact outstanding criminal cases and hundreds of other civil cases. More $38 million verdicts coming from state coffers – your tax dollars – could put the state in a precarious financial position. Whatever happens next, the developments around this civil case and the verdict are a disservice to many – the jurors who gave their time to thoughtfully listen to difficult testimony and then reaching a verdict and, mostly, for Mr. Meehan, who is no doubt suffering yet again.The question now is, after all the legal wrangling and appeals are done, will justice ever be served?

He ran away from home, was caught stealing and was put into state custody to be reformed. Instead, he was mentally, sexually and physically abused.

Now, he's suffering again, this time at the hands of our legal system.

David Meehan's case is the first of hundreds of lawsuits to go to trial against the former Youth Development Center.

The allegations against the center and the state date back decades. The abuse was horrendous, demeaning and traumatizing. The victims' lives would never be the same.

Mr. Meehan sat in a Rockingham County Superior courtroom in Brentwood for four weeks, where he had to relive the abuse he suffered while in state custody. That's where, he says, he was repeatedly raped, beaten and put into solitary confinement as a teenager.

The jury in the case ruled in Mr. Meehan's favor, saying the state was negligent and didn't do its job to protect him. They delivered him a $38 million verdict.

For a few moments, Mr. Meehan must have felt a great sense of vindication. The system that destroyed his life was going to pay – in a big way, an unprecedented amount of money for a case of this type.

Meehan's attorney said, "David now feels like he has a reason to live."

But that victory was short-lived. The state is now arguing the verdict should be reduced to just under half a million dollars, the attorney general's office citing state law that caps payments to $475,000 per incident. Remember that word: "incident."

Here's where things get messy. On the verdict form, the jury wrote Meehan had only proven one "incident," PTSD.

Now, they're coming forward to clarify that they grouped all the incidents together, and they misunderstood the verdict form, saying, "David should be entitled to what we rewarded him," and, "I was literally sickened and brought to tears in fear of the mistake we made."

So, where does that leave Mr. Meehan? The state is sticking to the $475,000 award, and his attorneys are fighting it. And now, the judge in the case has said he will not recall the jury.

There's a lot at stake here. This case could impact outstanding criminal cases and hundreds of other civil cases.

More $38 million verdicts coming from state coffers – your tax dollars – could put the state in a precarious financial position.

Whatever happens next, the developments around this civil case and the verdict are a disservice to many – the jurors who gave their time to thoughtfully listen to difficult testimony and then reaching a verdict and, mostly, for Mr. Meehan, who is no doubt suffering yet again.

The question now is, after all the legal wrangling and appeals are done, will justice ever be served?

Editorial: YDC verdict controversy

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