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The begetter of a man who says he was regularly raped and beaten arsenic a teen astatine New Hampshire’s younker detention halfway concisely testified Tuesday, saying his boy had a estimation for dishonesty.
Daniel Meehan was nan first witnesser called by nan state, which is defending itself against allegations that its negligence allowed his boy David to beryllium abused astatine nan Youth Development Center. Since David Meehan went to constabulary successful 2017, 11 erstwhile authorities workers person been arrested, and much than 1,100 erstwhile residents of nan Manchester installation person revenge lawsuits airing allegations of maltreatment that spanned six decades.
David Meehan’s suit was nan first to beryllium revenge and nan first to spell to proceedings earlier this month. During his 3 days connected nan witnesser stand, lawyers for nan authorities questioned Meehan successful item astir his puerility and suggested he was a convulsive boy who falsely accused his parents of beingness maltreatment erstwhile they tried to enforce rules. In contrast, nan state's lawyers spent small clip connected that Tuesday, questioning for Meehan’s begetter for small much than 5 minutes.
EX-TEACHER AT NH YOUTH FACILITY TESTIFIES SHE REPORTED SUSPICIOUS BRUISES ON AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN TEENS
The elder Meehan described enrolling his boy arsenic a younker successful Cub Scouts and different activities and seeking thief for him erstwhile he complained astir problem sleeping. He besides contradicted his son’s declare that his then-wife burned their boy pinch cigarettes. Daniel Meehan said that arsenic a firefighter whose relatives had emphysema, he did not fume and did not let cigarettes successful nan home.
"Based connected each your experiences earlier he went to YDC and since he went to YDC, does he person a estimation for untruthfulness?" asked Assistant Attorney General Brandon Chase. "Yes," Meehan answered.
Under questioning from his son’s attorney, Daniel Meehan acknowledged that immoderate of that dishonesty occurred erstwhile his boy was struggling pinch a drug addiction. David Meehan testified earlier that he had utilized heroin to combat post-traumatic accent upset stemming from nan alleged abuse.
The Sununu Youth Services Center, successful Manchester, N.H., stands among trees, Jan. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Attorney David Vicinanzo besides questioned Daniel Meehan astir his profession arsenic a firefighter, suggesting it kept him distant from location truthful overmuch he didn’t cognize overmuch astir his children aliases his ex-wife, who spent years being unfaithful to him earlier he recovered out. Neither broadside asked him astir David Meehan’s clip astatine nan detention center, wherever according to nan lawsuit, he endured near-daily beatings, rapes and agelong stints successful solitary confinement.
Over 3 weeks, jurors heard Meehan and much than a twelve witnesses called by his attorneys. They included erstwhile staffers who said they faced guidance and moreover threats erstwhile they raised aliases investigated concerns, a erstwhile resident who described being gang raped successful a stairwell and respective psychological experts. Aside from Meehan’s father, nan first witnesses for nan defense included a female who spent astir 40 years astatine YDC arsenic a younker counselor, coach and main and a kid scientist who criticized nan erstwhile experts.
Psychologist Eric Mart said Meehan’s experts assumed he was telling nan truth without performing immoderate tests to measure whether he was exaggerating. Mart, who had evaluated Meehan erstwhile he was 13, said it was adjacent to opportunity he had important intelligence wellness issues earlier he was sent to nan younker center. He besides said he ne'er saw thing amiss erstwhile he met pinch teens astatine nan installation successful nan 1990s.
Though 1 erstwhile coach testified Monday that she saw suspicious bruises connected Meehan and half a twelve different teens successful nan 1990s, erstwhile main Marie Sullivan said she ne'er saw signs of abuse, nor did immoderate students show her they were being abused.
Sullivan, who retired successful 2021, was asked whether unit and teachers cared astir nan teens.
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"I judge they did because it’s a very difficult job, and you don’t enactment unless you for illustration what you do," she said.
