DOC: the Rape of the Town of Lovell [Paperback]

The events were shocking in the 1980's when they ripped apart Lovell to the point that the wound still has not healed 20 years later. But it was the release on parole of a monster, of the so-called "doctor," that prompted me to finally read this book.

I now know and work with the attorneys in this book which made reading it all that much more exciting--the Honorable Gary Hartman, Scott Kath, the late Honorable John Dixon, Charles Kepler, and William Simpson and I know of Loretta Kepler, Kathy Karpan, and Terry Tharp. The author took some liberties with a few things; for example, Mr. Kepler is not a burly man nor is he a large man, Ms. Kepler is a charming and beautiful woman despite the plain-jane description to the contrary, Judge Hartman did not have a pistol under his robe when the jury verdict was delivered, and, really, Scott Kath is a much more interesting character than Olsen makes him out to be in the book. Furthermore, some of the nasty and degrading descriptions of town people were gross overstatements whereas some of the nicer descriptions were clever understatements of the true problems in Lovell--domestic abuse, alcohol, and to this day men with multiple "wives" and dozens of children.

However, having said that, those did not detract from this very well written book.

As a closing note for those who have read this, remember the exam table? Last year John Story's wife, Marilyn, picked up the "table" from the evidence room at the Big Horn County Courthouse. The table was a key factor in facilitating John Story's rape of literally hundreds of women during so called pelvic examinations. However, John Story no longer has a medical license nor can he ever hold a medical license again as a convicted felon. What does this man, who will surely be classified as a high risk registered sex offender, need with a fancy examination table when he does not have a medical license? Does he think he can sell it on eBay? Or is he starting a home based business?

I guess, this may only be the first story in a series of events yet to happen.......

Lovell, WY, a small insular, highly religious farm community was ripped apart when one of the leading citizens, Dr. John Story, was accused of sexual harassment and rape going back twenty years. He was a general practitioner with OB/GYN a large part of his practice. By the time he came to trial, more than 100 former patients admitted they felt they had been mistreated or raped under the guise of a pelvic examination.

My first thought was how could this have been so widespread and gone on for so long without anyone knowing, complaining, or accusing? The answer is the nature of Lovell itself. The majority of the citizenry belonged to the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) or to a very strict fundamentalist church of which Dr. Story was a founding member. Particularly with the LDS women, there is a strong bias in favor of male superiority. They are taught that men (and only men) can become priests of their church and give absolution; rarely is male authority questioned. Along with this background is an incredible innocence and ignorance about sexual functions. It wasn't until a leading church member started asking hard questions after her more enlightened daughters complained to her, that the scope of this crime emerged. The women thought two to three hour examinations were normal and all had taken for granted these examinations took place without the presence of a nurse.

It made very painful reading to see how difficult it was for these women to be taken seriously. The Medical Registry of Wyoming was hostile toward their efforts, but finally gave them a hearing. The leaders of the church, who did not want the church to formally be involved in the issue, did not support them. It took the dedication and incredible hard work of a local sheriff and District Attorney for the county to finally bring Dr. Story to trial. The town split in two along religious lines. The fundamentalist group said it was a "Mormon conspiracy." People who had been friends and neighbors for years were now bitter enemies.

Mr. Olsen has created a page-turner with his balanced narrative that includes many direct interviews with the leading participants. I felt pity for Dr. Story's devoted wife and for many of his well-meaning followers and patients. However, what stands out most in my mind is the bravery and endurance shown by his victims and their willingness to stand by their beliefs and principles.