Stephen Murphy is on trial for allegedly raping a boy at the Youth Development Center in 1998, with the case highlighting past abuse claims.
Prosecutors say Murphy assaulted the boy, who was just 14 at the time, in a staircase at the YDC back in 1998. The trial kicked off with opening statements and witnesses in Hillsborough County Superior Court.
Murphy, 55, from Danvers, Massachusetts, is facing one count of aggravated felonious sexual assault. He’s also got other cases pending involving three more boys. This makes him the fourth former worker from the YDC to go to trial for abuse claims from the 90s and 2000s.
The jury consists of 12 men and one woman, with one alternate to be chosen later. Prosecutor Audriana Mekula started by showing the jury a photo of the accuser, Michael Gilpatrick, who has publicly shared his story and is suing the state for the abuse he suffered.
Gilpatrick testified that he was taken to the staircase after a confrontation with the house leader, Bradley Asbury. Two staff members held him down while Murphy assaulted him. Mekula emphasized that this trial is about the crime itself, not revenge or money.
Gilpatrick has already testified in other trials related to the abuse, including one against Asbury, who was found guilty last November. Asbury is set to be sentenced soon.
In court, over 40 supporters were there for Murphy, who greeted them during breaks. His lawyer, Charles Keefe, argues that Murphy didn’t commit the assault and pointed out inconsistencies in Gilpatrick’s story, suggesting that the area was usually crowded.
Keefe also mentioned that the four men involved weren’t scheduled to work together that day. The other two accused, Jeffrey Buskey and James Woodlock, are also facing charges.
