A mistrial has been declared in the case of Jeffrey Buskey, a former employee of a New Hampshire youth detention center who was charged with repeatedly raping a teenage boy. The case took a turn when the accuser, David Meehan, briefly testified about sexual abuse by other staff members. This testimony, which occurred during the trial, led to the defense requesting a mistrial. Judge Will Delker first denied the request but later changed his decision after the testimony was repeated, stating that the jury could not be properly instructed to ignore it. Buskey faces 21 charges of aggravated sexual assault related to Meehan, who was 14 years old when he was placed at the Youth Development Center in Manchester in 1995. During the second day of testimony, Meehan said that Buskey was not the only staff member who sexually assaulted him. The judge had previously told the jury to disregard this testimony, but when it came up again shortly after, Delker concluded that a mistrial was necessary. The state's prosecutor, Thomas Velardi, explained that when evidence is presented that the judge determines should not be heard by the jury and cannot be ignored, a mistrial must be declared. Velardi added that the state will consider its options, including retrying the case. Buskey also faces separate charges involving three other former residents of the Sununu Youth Services Center, a state-run facility now known for a major youth detention scandal. His arrest in 2019, along with another former staffer, sparked national attention. In the years since, the state has conducted a wide-reaching criminal investigation, made nine additional arrests, and created a settlement fund to compensate victims. The state is also defending itself against over 1,100 lawsuits that allege abuse over a span of six decades. Meehan's case was the first to go to trial, and in May 2024, a jury awarded him $38 million. However, the state is challenging that amount, seeking to reduce it to $475,000. As the trial began, prosecutor Audriana Mekula asked Meehan, “What is YDC to you?” Meehan responded, “Hell,” a reference to the Youth Development Center, which he described as a place of suffering.