Christopher Pena, a writer who marries his interests in drama, medicine and history in his writings, discusses his new book, The Strange Case of Dr. Etienne Deschamps, Murder in the New Orleans French Quarter, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

The presentation is free of charge and is open to the public. Registration is not required.

This meeting is sponsored by Sisters in Crime, a national organization that promotes the advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers. The meeting is open to men and the organization accepts male members.

Pena asks if Dr. Etienne Deschamps was a vicious murderer, or insane? The French dentist made his home in the French Quarter of New Orleans, but he employed more than just traditional dental procedures. Deschamps treated patients by using his supposed magnetic and hypnotic powers. Obsessed with the lost treasure of Jean Lafitte, he began a search for the perfect spirit medium to guide him to its hiding place.

Twelve-year-old Juliette Dietsh’s family came to rely on the charitable dentist, but Deschamps had more than generosity on his mind: he had found his medium. Deschamps repeatedly hypnotized, sexually molested, and finally anesthetized the girl with chloroform. Inevitably he made a mistake: too much chloroform, and Dietsh died.

This story explores Deschamps’s crime and his defense team’s efforts to spare his life. It asks whether he was guilty of capital murder or innocent by reason of insanity.

Writer and historian Christopher G. Peña earned a degree in theater before changing his focus to nursing, working for several decades at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and as an associate professor of nursing at Nicholls State University. While teaching, he earned a degree in history.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.