Northeast
Judge quickly denies request to discard $38 million verdict in New Hampshire youth center abuse case
The judge who oversaw a landmark trial about New Hampshire’s youth detention center has refused to discard the $38 million verdict, saying the facility’s leadership “either knew and didn’t care or didn’t care to learn the truth” about endemic physical and sexual abuse.
A jury earlier this month sided with David Meehan, who alleged he was repeatedly raped, beaten and held in solitary confinement at the Youth Development Center in the 1990s. The attorney general’s office is seeking to drastically reduce the award. While that issue remains unsettled, the state also asked Judge Andrew Schulman to nullify the verdict and issue a judgment in its favor.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS HEARD IN NH YOUTH DETENTION CENTER ABUSE SUIT
In a motion filed Monday, attorneys for the state again argued that Meehan waited too long to sue and that he failed to prove that the state’s negligence led to abuse. Schulman swiftly denied the motion, ruling in less than 24 hours that Meehan’s claims were timely under an exception to the statute of limitations, and that Meehan had proven “beyond doubt” that the state breached its duty of care with respect to staff training, supervision and discipline.
The Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester, N.H., stands among trees, Jan. 28, 2020. A New Hampshire jury awarded $38 million to the man who blew the lid off abuse allegations at the state’s youth detention center Friday, May 3, 2024, in a landmark case finding the state’s negligence allowed him to be beaten, raped and held in solitary confinement as a teen. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
According to Schulman, a jury could easily have found that the facility’s leadership “was, at best, willfully blind to entrenched and endemic customs and practices” that included frequent sexual and physical assaults as well as “constant emotional abuse of residents.”
“Maybe there is more to the story, but based on the trial record liability for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty was proven to a geometric certainty,” he wrote.
Meehan, 42, went to police in 2017 and sued the state three years later. Since then, 11 former state workers have been arrested and more than 1,100 other former residents of what is now called the Sununu Youth Services Center have filed lawsuits alleging physical, sexual and emotional abuse spanning six decades. Charges against one former worker, Frank Davis, were dropped earlier this month after the 82-year-old was found incompetent to stand trial.
Meehan’s lawsuit was the first to go to trial. Over four weeks, his attorneys contended that the state encouraged a culture of abuse marked by pervasive brutality, corruption and a code of silence. The state portrayed Meehan as a violent child, troublemaking teenager and delusional adult lying to get money.
Jurors awarded him $18 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in enhanced damages, but when asked the number of incidents for which the state was liable, they wrote “one.” That trigged the state’s request to reduce the award under a state law that allows claimants against the state to get a maximum of $475,000 per incident.
Meehan’s lawyers say multiple emails they’ve received from distraught jurors showed the jury misunderstood that question on the jury form. They filed a motion Monday asking Schulman to set aside just the portion of the verdict where jurors wrote “one” incident, allowing the $38 million to stand. As an alternative, the judge could order a new trial only on the number of incidents, or could offer the state the option of agreeing to an increase in the number of incidents, they wrote.
Last week, Schulman denied a request from Meehan’s lawyers to reconvene and poll the jury, but said he was open to other options to address the disputed verdict. A hearing is scheduled for June 24.
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Pennsylvania
Pa. State Trooper fatally shot during traffic stop in Chester Co., authorities say
West Caln Twp., Pa. (WPVI) — A Pennsylvania State Police Corporal was shot and killed in the line of duty in Chester County Sunday night.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was joined by law enforcement officials outside of Paoli Hospital in paying tribute to Cpl. Timothy O’Connor.
Lt. Colonel George Bivens says O’Connor responded to a call to investigate an erratic driver just after 8 p.m. in Honey Brook.
O’Connor stopped that vehicle the intersection of Compass Road and Michael Road in West Caln Township.
Bivens says O’Connor made a radio call indicating the stop, but did not respond to calls to check on him.
Officers in the area immediately responded and found the situation investigators are calling murder-suicide.
Bivens says within seconds of approaching the stopped vehicle, the driver opened fire, killing O’Connor at the scene.
Investigators say the driver then got out of the vehicle and fatally shot himself.
Authorities tell Action News that officers responded to the scene when the trooper called for backup after shots were fired.
Bivens say O’Connor is a 15-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police.
He leaves behind a wife and young daughter.
Governor Shapiro has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of O’Connor.
Chester County District Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe says the county is assisting with the investigation.
Officials are not releasing the name of the suspect at this time, but say he is a 32-year-old man from Chester County.
They will now be investigating his background and motives, according to de Barrena-Sarobe.
Compass Road is closed between Hill and Lammey Roads as police continue with their investigation.
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Rhode Island
Boys And Girls Battle In Nearly 1,000 Wrestling Bounts At 2026 New England Championships
PROVIDENCE, RI — Hundreds of boys and girls from the six New England states competed at the 2026 CNESSPA New England Championships in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday and Sunday.
Boys from 176 high schools and girls from 125 schools participated in more than 960 bouts at the Providence Career & Technical Academy. The girls had 12 weight brackets while the boys had 14.
For the boys, Ponaganset High School in Glocester, RI, came in first with 128.5 points, Xavier High School in Middletown, CT, an all-boys Catholic school, came in second with 119 points, and Central Catholic in Lawrence, MA, came in third with 105.5 points. For the girls, Massabesic High School in Waterboro, ME, came in first, with 52 points, Salem High School in Salem, NH, came in second, and Woburn High School in Woburn, MA, came in third.
Find out what’s happening in Providencefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Boy Results
106-pound bracket: 1Samuel Floody (Scituate RI), 2Sam Winship (CENCTH), 3Josh Perez (XAV), 4Chace Armstrong (Ponaganset), 5Remington Grunhuvd (MSBC), and 6Matt Boucher (Timberlane).
113: 1John Woodall (Franklin), 2Antoine Jackman (GRLOW), 3Cole Desiano (RDGF), 4Caden Hughes (PNGT), 5Reid Grandmason (Exeter), and 6Kylan Berry (BNYE).
Find out what’s happening in Providencefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
120: 1Zack Dixon (Xavier), 2Lucas Copper (CENCTH), 3Cole Lemovitz (Ponaganset), 4Dominic Simpson (Belfast), 5Logan Barry (Scituate RI), and 6William Accorsi (SOMS).
126: 1Nick Desisto (Tewksbury), 2Mael Pierre-Paul (BUNL), 3Brayden Boccia (MLFD), 4Cahota LaFond (COLC), 5Josiah Martins Semedo (N-B), and 6Jisup Shin (Weston).
132: 1Evan Boulard (MSBC), 2Robert Newton (Scituate RI), 3Derek Marcolini (MLFD), 4Dylan Meyers (RDGF), 5Aplollo Bellini (Ponaganset), and 6Zaphyr Musshorn (Xavier).
138: 1Lukas Boxley (LDYD), 2Kai Ly (MINN), 3Jason Ballou (ANDV), 4Jack Sauer (Franklin), 5Coleson Tully (Carver), and 6Asa Reis (Mt. Anthony Union).
144: 1John Carrozza (RDGF), 2James Lally (SJP), 3James Rocco (BARR), 4Duncan Harrington (Mt. Anthony Union), 5Jordin Agosto (AGWM), and 6Evan Madigan (EDL).
150: 1Isaiah McDaniel (MIDD), 2Alex Lamarre (BC), 3Henry McElligott (HOLL), 4Dan Greaney (LEOM), 5Leo Moore (RDGF), and 6Nicholas Genin (NWTS).
157: 1James Tildsley (SHAW), 2Carnell Davis (Ponaganset), 3Antonio Arguello (NTWN), 4Daniel Woods (WELL), 5Anthony Lombardi (MTHP), and 6Ben Byrne (Nashua South).
165: 1Colby Vital (Ponaganset), 2Matt Pappas (BHEN), 3Evan Schibi (GLBT), 4Harry Marino (COND), 5Jacob Critchfield (Hollis Brookline), and 6Brady Ouellette (Noble)
175: 1Cyrus Jones (SHRN), 2Harrison Muller (Danbury), 3Vincent Rivera (Xavier), 4Rhys Dewar (CENCTH), 5Cooper Theriault-Dinielli (PLNV), and 6Adryan Urena (LSA).
190: 1Sam Josey (SJP), 2Chase Catalano (XAV), 3Dylan O’Brian (FWRD), 4Logan Holmes (SHAW), 5Dante Richardson (CHSW), and 6Grady Pease (MDMK).
215: 1Matt Harrold (HAV), 2Owen Pavao (S-B), 3Shamus Pease (MDMK), 4Taiyo Gemme (OLWB), 5William Buffington (TAUN), and 6Merlin Smith (EDL).
285: 1Kaz Morosetti (NKNG), 2Brian Waller-Reitano (CENCTH), 3William Martinez (WLLS), 4Bishop Kearns (Bishop Guertin), 5Chris Levesque (OXFD), and 6Chase Galke (SHLT).
The full results for the boys are available here on Arena Flo Wrestling.
Girl Results
100: 1Ella Paris (Salem NH), 2Parker Theriault (Mattanawcook/PVHS), 3Sophia Gordon (SWIN), 4Riley-Anne Tarmey (TRIT), 5Abigail Garland (MTBL), and 6Hannah Perro (Noble).
107: 1Sora Bukoski (Penobscot County Wrestling), 2Elsa Scott (SHRN), 3Maggie Campbell (Woburn), 4Amelia Hough (Milford), 5Kelsie Strong (MARSH), and 6Clara Reynolds (NMIL).
114: 1Allison Patten (PILG), 2Kennedie Davis (BR), 3Ava Gamberdella (BRNF), 4Addie Smith (VERG), 5Mia Annello (BILL), and 6Ella Libiszewski (LUD).
120: 1Jillian Blake (TRUMB), 2Hannah Dyckman (Bristol County/Dighton Rehoboth), 3Maleeah Rios (BC), 4Alanna Smith (CMHL), 5Lauren McAteer (WPO), and 6Monica Flores Romero (Fairfield Warde).
126: 1Adelina Tate (ELTC), 2Caitlin Castoldi (Woburn), 3Delaney Frost (Noble), 4Maisa Allen (OTV), 5Ashlynn Cummings (FLUD), and 6Luca Marshall (TCTY).
132: 1Madeline Ngo (Newton North), 2Alexia Coleman (Salem MA), 3Eliana Selerais (AMTY), 4Kaydn Hansen (MTBL), 5Kylie Biter (OXFD), and 6Faith Young (Middleborough).
138: 1Adriana DeGroat (FRMG), 2Nevaeh Grunhuvd (MSBC), 3Winner Tshibombi (STRF), 4Keira Lynch (Salem NH), 5Daphen Nyan (Davies Career & Tech Academy), and 6Ania Konieczna (SHRN).
145: 1Sophie Grunhuvd (MSBC), 2Gabriella Kiely (STRF), 3Josephina Piel (NMIL), 4Gabriella Ramos (AGWM), 5Regan Murphy (Canton), and 6Hailey Isham (MT ABE).
152: 1Ava McGinnis (NOKO), 2Nmachukwu Okoli (BR), 3Zady Paige (BLFS), 4Rileigh Fagan (BP), 5Nora Demaine (Lake Region), and 6Mackenzie Lacoss (Spaulding).
165: 1Kaydence Atkinson (NBHS), 2Gabriella Mighty (STAM), 3Bethany-grace Dean (Bristol Eastern), 4Sadie Nadeau (Spaulding), 5Jordyn Reynolds (GLTS), and 6Stella Christopher (AGWM).
185: 1Kayli Morris (PLATT), 2Madi King (BBA), 3Madison Beauregard (Concord), 4Leanna Watson (Putnam), 5Emma Leonido (HANV), and 6Jillian Boncore (Alvirne)
235: 1Jeily Euceda (NRWK), 2Hillary MacDonald (LAWR), 3Lillian Soper (BUCK), 4Elaine Pinto (DURF), 5Jadaliz Acosta (Bloomfield/Weaver), and 6Alei Fiatoa-Fautua (NPRO).
View the full results for the girls here.
Also Read
- Dozens Of New Hampshire’s Wrestlers Will Compete In New England Championship Bouts In Rhode Island
- Girls From Bedford, Concord, Londonderry, Salem, Other Schools Are Heading To New England Championships
- Timberlane, Goffstown, And Bow Win NHIAA Division Championships: New Hampshire Wrestling Roundup
- Concord High School’s Crimson Tide Wrestling Team Places 2nd At NHIAA Division I Championships
- Timberlane Wins NH JV Tourney; Salem 4th, Milford 5th, Nashua North 8th, Bedford 10th: Wrestling Roundup
- Concord High School JV Wrestlers Place 2nd At 2026 New Hampshire State Tournament
- Bedford, Exeter, Salem Win Bouts | North Beats South In Nashua | More: NH Wrestling Results, Part 2
- Londonderry, Milford, Portsmouth, And Souhegan Compete In The Final Bouts Of 2026: NH Wrestling Results
- Concord Falls To Timberlane Regional High School, 44-27; Crimson Tide Wrestlers End Regular Season At 21-1
- Exeter Hosts Quad | Portsmouth, Souhegan Compete At Invitational | Salem Takes 3 In MA: NH Wrestling Roundup
- Concord Wrestlers Sweep 3 Other High Schools At Their Last Saturday Quad Of The Season
- Winnacunnet, Exeter, Londonderry, Merrimack, Milford, And Portsmouth Post Wins: NH Wrestling Roundup
- On Senior Night, Concord High School Wrestlers Cruise To A Win Against Nashua South, 68-9
- Rhode Island’s Bishop Hendricken High School Again Wins NH’s Capital City Classic Wrestling Tournament
- 9 Crimson Tide Wrestlers Place At Successful 35th Annual Capital City Classic Wrestling Tournament In Concord
- Concord High School’s Crimson Tide Wrestling Team Nets The Blackbirds In Keene, 45-26
- Capital City Classic Wrestling Tournament Celebrates 35 Years At Concord High School Saturday
- Concord’s Wrestlers Continue Their Winning Ways With Victories Against Souhegan, Bow, And Plymouth
- Londonderry, Merrimack, Portsmouth, Souhegan, And Salem Win At Weekend Wrestling Quads: NH Roundup
- Bow, Exeter, Londonderry, Milford, Nashua North, And Souhegan Win Wrestling Matches: New Hampshire Results
- Concord Wrestlers Beat Defending State Champions, Salem Blue Devils, 48-30
- A Dozen Schools Battle On The Seacoast | Souhegan Takes 3 At Quad | Merrimack Duals: NH Wrestling Results
- Crimson Tide Varsity Wrestlers Sweep 3 At Super Quad 2 In Concord; Others Rack Up Places At Tourneys
- Bedford, Londonderry, Milford, Salem, And Souhegan Wrestlers Win Matches: New Hampshire Results
- Concord High School’s Wrestling Team Beats Hollis Brookline, 54-22
- Concord High School Wrestlers Sweep 6 Meets At First Super Quad Of The 2025-2026 Season
- Salem Girls, Milford Boys Place 1st At Nashua Tourney | Londonderry Sweeps At Bow Quad: NH Wrestling Roundup
- Concord High School Crimson Tide Wrestlers Crash Into Londonderry Lancers, 54-16
- Concord Wins 2026 Minickiello Tourney; Souhegan 5th; Portsmouth 6th: NH High School Wrestling Roundup
- Concord Boy Wrestlers Place 5th, Souhegan 7th; Salem Girls 2nd At 2-Day Maine Tourney: NH Wrestling Results
- Crimson Tide Places 5th; Salem Girls 3rd At George Bossi Holiday Tourney: New Hampshire Wrestling Roundup
- Central Catholic Places 1st, Shawsheen Tech 2nd, And St. John’s Prep 3rd At Historic Wrestling Tourney
- Crimson Tide Beats Jaguars, 75-5, While Bedford, Salem, And Souhegan Notch Wins: NH Wrestling Results
- Concord’s Crimson Tide Places 2nd At 2025 Salem Blue Devil Tournament: New Hampshire Wrestling Results
- Wrestlers From 5 Schools Scrimmage At Concord High School In First Bouts Of The Season
Do you have a news tip? Email it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella’s YouTube or Rumble channels. Patch in New Hampshire is now in 217 communities — and expanding every day. Also, follow Patch on Google Discover.
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Vermont
Spring-like days ahead, but the risk for additional river ice jams and flooding will continue.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – It was a pleasant Sunday with spring-like temperatures, but it also resulted in a few ice jams in rivers, which happened earlier than expected. The Ausable, Mad, Missisquoi and Great Chazy rivers flooded today due to ice jams. These rivers will recede tonight as temperatures get close to, or below, freezing. However, new ice jams may form, and additional rivers may flood on Monday as highs get even warmer. Expect partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. The wind may gust as highs as 40 mph. This will continue to support rapid snowmelt, which will run off into rivers and other bodies of water. Remember to never cross any flooded roads, and avoid going near river banks.
The threat for ice jams will continue into Thursday. A backdoor cold front may touch off a few showers on Tuesday, otherwise it will be partly sunny with highs ranging from the 40s north to the 50s and low 60s south. Computer models continue to bring a low pressure system in our area on Wednesday. It’s continuing to look a little warmer, though the heavier rain is now inching farther into Canada. That said, some rain is likely, and high temperatures will be at least in the low 40s, and may reach the 50s in southern parts of the region. Morning rain on Thursday will change to afternoon snow. A few inches accumulation is possible. Early highs in the 30s will fall through the 20s by afternoon, and overnight lows will be in the teens and low 20s, so everything will freeze up.
Friday will start off with some sunshine, then another, weaker system could bring a light rain/snow mix late in the day and overnight. A few inches of snow can’t be ruled out. A return to more seasonable temperatures will happen over the weekend with highs mainly in the mid-30s and lows in the teens and 20s. There’s the chance for snow showers both days, but significant weather isn’t expected.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
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