Bradley Asbury Trial: Jury Deliberates Allegations of Historic Abuse at Youth Center
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The jury in the trial of Bradley Asbury, a former leader at the Sununu Youth Services Center, began deliberations on Friday regarding allegations that he held down a teenage boy while staffers assaulted him in 1998. Asbury, now 70, is accused of restraining 14-year-old Michael Gilpatrick during the horrific incident while colleagues raped the teen and forced him to perform sexual acts.
This trial is part of a larger investigation initiated in 2019 into historical abuses at the facility, leading to arrests of 11 former staff members. Gilpatrick, now 41, bravely testified about his long-term struggle with the trauma and described an out-of-body experience during the attack, stating, "I can see it happening, but I can’t do anything."
Defense attorney David Rothstein countered in closing arguments, asserting that Gilpatrick fabricated the accusations and that there was no supporting evidence or eyewitness accounts. He claimed Gilpatrick had been driven by a motivation for financial gain, highlighting that the alleged victim had previously received substantial financial settlements from related civil claims.
Contrarily, prosecutors emphasized Gilpatrick’s consistent recollection of the key events despite not recalling every detail about the incident due to the overwhelming trauma. Assistant Attorney General Adam Woods criticized the actions of Asbury and his associates, stating they "shattered the trust" in a facility meant to counsel troubled youth.
Asbury faces two counts of being an accomplice to aggravated sexual assault, with a potential maximum prison sentence of 20 years for each count if convicted. The trial is a significant moment in the ongoing struggle for justice for many former residents who have lodged over 1,100 complaints alleging various forms of abuse at the center over decades.
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