Doc: The Rape Of The Town Of Lovell (1989) - Plot & Excerpts
Sometimes I'll read a book and I'll have no words to describe it - DOC: THE RAPE OF THE TOWN OF LOVELL is one of those books. I've read a lot of true crime but this is my first book by Jack Olsen, but it will not be my last. Olsen is one of the few true crime writers who truly approaches the genre as a journalist in the same way of David Simon and Dave Cullen. Since I see it so rarely in true crime, I have to believe that it must be difficult to do when faced with the crimes and an unrepentant perpetrator. I don't always feel complete and utter contempt for the perpetrator, I'll admit. I am probably one of the few people who didn't see Jodie Arias as a monster and I think the Florida jury came to the right decision based on the evidence they were given in the Casey Anthony trial. I've supported the WM3 since the mid-1990s and continue to do so today even as most have abandoned the case after the 2011 Alford Plea was struck. But then there are those for whom I've almost reconsidered my stance on capitol punishment: Gary Ridgeway, Matt Baker, David Temple, and now I get to add John Story to that list. John Story is pure evil hiding behind his respectability that he derived from his education, religion, and career. Like many criminals, he holds extreme political views and hates just about anyone different from himself, and I always wonder why no one catches on to these things when they're so apparent in the literature. /researcher I cheered when the PSI figured him out within a few hours and reported it all to the court. I am more than a little irritated that Story was treated so well in prison (not that I wanted illegal things to happen to him). I hated reading that so many guards and the warden cowed to his demands to use his MD or doctor title. I mean, what? Also I am still in a stupor that so many people and organizations believed in Story even when there was so much evidence to the contrary. As evil as I think Story is he was only allowed to be so heinous thanks to the organizations, government officials, powerful people, and his masses of supporters. Reading this 1989 book in 2015 is startling in that I really hope that most of this cover-up would not happen today, or at least not happen for some nobody doctor in small town Wyoming. Literally, I had to stop reading when the medical board required at least five rape complaints to even have an unofficial hearing. While I understand Tharp not wanting to try a case that he knows he will lose, the utter disgusting nature of not touching the case until 20 women came forward made me want to vomit. Speaking of Tharp, he's no hero in this story and I really wanted him to lose his job via election - he was never committed to the case beyond wanting to win and he was completely against a grand jury investigation into the misconduct by government and organizations that helped cover up Story's crimes for 20+ years. Seriously?! I really hope this guy is no longer "helping" the public with his "good deeds." Wilcock and Cashel are the only officials that deserve any positive press in this case.I think it's important to note that the majority of the women who were raped knew exactly what happened to them, either as it was happening or immediately thereafter, but as Olsen goes on to illustrate with painful detail: who was going to believe them? These were modest women, these were sheltered women committed to a culture that didn't talk about sex or rape ever. They believed that they were at fault, that they somehow led Story on or gave off hints that they were sexually available, and everyone, seriously everyone agreed with that sentiment. I think this is important and gets glossed over everywhere that I go for more information on this case, even Olsen gives it short-shrift. Olsen is sure to include some bitter irony that I found delicious. Story is the most conservative of the conservative, so much so that I doubt many people ever agreed with him. He hates private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security... pretty much everything. As the PSI wrote, Story is all about social rules and niceties unless they apply to him. But the irony! Story is extremely okay with his uncle giving up his life savings to help Story with his appeal even though that leaves the uncle to live on his SSI payments; Story is also sure to take advantage of the conjugal visits in prison, and though Olsen doesn't report Story's feelings on prison privileges, I can guess that he was anti-everything but bread and water for prisoners before he was there. Finally, the most maddening irony: Story's biggest supporter is a woman that he would have hated. Jan Hillman is a liberal feminist (of sorts) who was a late 60s protester for all leftist causes and she takes up Story's cause... basically because she hates Mormons, especially Mormon women whom she feels choose ignorance. I'd love to talk with Hillman today and see if she still supports Story because I hope that this woman would get with the damned times and see how fucked up her views are/were. Of all of the Story supporters, I found her the most repugnant because she had the foundation to know better! I hear that Lovell is still torn on this case and Story has been released and he's back to living in his house on Nevada. Again, I'd hoped for better in 2015 but yeah no.
Religion and naivete: the story of a criminal doctorThe story takes place in a small Wyoming town, populated by Mormons and members of a conservative Baptist church. John Story, the town doctor, was treated almost like a demi-god by everyone. It eventually occurred to a mother and her two daughters that Dr. Story was sexually molesting them during his frequent pelvic examinations. The "good" doctor performed these exams at every opportunity, regardless of the medical complaints of his patients. Young girls were not exempt.Because of their strict religious upbringing and naivete about sexual matters, women were sadly unaware of what a pelvic examination entailed and when one was necessary. Women who read this book will be horrified to learn that Dr. Story's pelvics lasted a half hour and were performed when a patient complained of anything from a sore throat to a swollen toe.Eventually, women began to compare their experiences, and many realized they had been raped. They discovered that filing a successful complaint against a doctor was not easy. Ultimately, Dr. Story was charged criminally.Underlying this story is the division between the LDS church and the strict Baptists. The complainants were LDS, and Dr. Story was a strict Baptist. Accusations of a conspiracy abounded. The story was as much about religious zeal as it was about the doctor. The town was divided into two factions. All LDS were shunned by those who insisted that the doctor could do no wrong.This is a fascinating story, and I recommend the book to those who like true crime. Jack Olsen was a master at telling stories such as this. One caveat: the book is filled with typos. Perhaps they were the result of converting an old book into an ebook.
What do You think about Doc: The Rape Of The Town Of Lovell (1989)?
This is a most disturbing work of non fiction about the town Of Lowell, Wyoming a mostly Mormon community and a non Mormon "Christian" doctor who commits unspeakable abusive acts on his female patients who are too ashamed and surprised to report the acts to anyone! GRRRRR! He is a psychopath who refuses to recognize any of his wrongdoings ever! Interesting, applicable excerpts from mental health manuals and books such as Mask of Insanity apply directly to his depravity. The insight into the naivety of Mormon women was alarming and disturbing! I found it to be well written and will definitely look into other Jack Olsen works.
—Pat
I've read a fair few true crime books now. I've read about Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jonestown, a whole bunch of the real 'big ones'. And I can honestly say I found none of them nearly as disturbing as this book.The scope of John Story's crimes is just mind-boggling. As I listened to this audiobook I found myself shaking my head, gasping, saying 'Oh my God', reacting in very physical ways to what I was hearing, and this from a book that contains maybe half a dozen curse words. The narrator tells the story in his usual calm voice (this is the third book I've heard him narrate), and the story is still absolutely horrifying.And the really weird thing is, despite the amount of damage this man did as well as the SUSPECTED damage he did, I found it almost impossible to find anything about him online! Women everywhere should know about men like John Story, and they should learn from the many, many mistakes made by the women in the town of Lovell. Naivety is a dangerous thing. So is silence.
—Donna
I was fascinated with this incredible story. I found myself thinking of it often and trying to understand how something like this could have happened. I grew up in a predominately LDS farming community similar to Lovell WY during the same time as this story was unraveling. It took a perfect storm of cultural norms and a sick man who exploited women who trusted him with their lives. I don't believe this situation could happen again today (at least not to the extent of this story), but, growing up in a similar situation, I think I can understand the people of Lovell. It has been several weeks since I finished reading the book and I still find myself thinking about it.
—David
