Fatal Dosage: The True Story of a Nurse on Trial for Murder

by Gary Provost

FATAL DOSAGEBecoming a nurse was the realization of Anne Capute’s lifelong dream. Now she had everything she wanted—until the nightmare began at Morton General Hospital.THE CRIMELicensed practical nurse Anne Capute administered a fatal dose of morphine to a dying patient, Norma Leanues. Anne claimed she was following common practice at Morton General, with a verbal approval by Dr. Hillier, to administer unrestricted doses of morphine as a humane antidote to the unbearable suffering of terminal cases.THE CHARGEOne day after the death of Mrs. Leanues, Dr. Hillier was off on a European vacation, and Anne Capute was suspended. Three days later she was advised to retain a lawyer—she would be standing trial for first degree murder.THE TRIALOne after another, doctors and nurses with whom Anne had worked so closely testified against her. And the most damaging prosecution witness of all was Dr. Hillier. Suddenly Anne’s life’s dream was destroyed. And as her personal life, too, began to shatter, there remained little hope of acquittal—or justice.Anne A woman on trial for her life. One dedicated nurse battling against the vast influence of the medical establishment. Hers is a true story of courage, drama, and penetrating suspense that no reader will soon forget.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

239 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 1985

Reviews

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously does the phrase “use your common sense” get stated in every closing argument across the country? Because if I’m EVER on jury duty I’m going to scream about that!
Forgot to tell y’all my very first day of jury duty a judge came in the orientation room and swear to chocolate she said we will have to use our common sense as a juror. Needless to say I lasted a day and a half of jury duty. It may be because I asked about mistrials and the fact that I talk with my whole face…

[Lynda jacobson · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first it was hard to empathize with Anne by the end of the book and became a saint, good read very detailed court drama. I will recommend this to my r reader friends for slow but interesting story to callable to.

Read this for a good night bedtime story ands a end .as many .any things about medical terminology. I grew closer and closer to Anne she is proud and true to herself, Pat caught my attention made me feel good about lawyers for 5 mins lol.

[Phillip De Melo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the start. The author tells a story that's both exciting and thought-provoking, keeping you wondering what's next. The characters feel real and relatable, making them easy to root for. The book tackles tough topics like euthanasia and suicide with care and depth, making you think about your own beliefs.
What made this book even more interesting for me was the local setting . Plus, my 20 years in the medical field and current nursing studies gave me a unique view. The author gets the medical details right, making the story even more believable. I highly recommend this book to fans of courtroom dramas and stories that explore the human experience. Be prepared for a emotional and thought-provoking ride that will stay with you after you finish reading.

[Jane Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Crime

Provost does a good job with this book. It is the story of a nurse who was tried for giving a cancer patient a fatal dose of morphine. The issue of "mercy killing" is a sensitive one and one that practically everyone will face. It is interesting how this case played out.

[Victoria Tolley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good at first

Very good at first. Half way through it gets to the trial portion and I just couldn't keep reading all of the mumbo jumbo. I skipped a ton of pages just to see how it ended. The ending was interesting but hard to get to.

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic audiobook from beginning to end.
Seriously. One of the best I've ever listened to.
Gary Provost is an excellent writer.
If you enjoy true crime, you really can't go wrong here.
Five stars easy.

[Laura Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly not much has changed since then

Being a nurse myself I was interested in reading another nurses experience and how the community responded. This is a very good read

[nancy locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable

This book is an amazing page Turner that makes consumers doubt their safety and wonder about the morals of hospitals as big businesses.

[Lisa Kihlstadius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows how words can be taken out of context and used against you.

[Irene Bouchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing, right from the start. You go from page to page thinking it can't get any better or worse but it does. The characters are realistic and awesome. The subject of euthanasia for very terminally I'll patients is address in detail fine details. The philosophy of suicide is most appropriately a dressed and leaves one wondering the real sanity of such a decision. Great read. Easy vocabulary. Strongly recommend.

Great book for anyone who likes true life court dramas and enjoys characters who are truly vulnerable and real. A little disturbing, but it is meant to stir up emotions and dig deep into our own beliefs.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoyed Provost's book WITHOUT MERCY and thought his PERFECT HUSBAND was okay but not great. This one I wasn't crazy about; it's the story of three nurses accused of intentionally causing the death of a cancer patient--a 'mercy killing.' The account focuses on one of the nurses, and despite the (in my opinion) spurious charge against her, and despite the author's efforts to portray her in a positive way, she comes across as really annoying. I was more than happy to wrap this up and move on.

[Lauretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Read

The first half of the book was a fast read. The second, to me, was long and drawn out. Overall, a good book.