Lahti Takes Lead in True Story

  "Chicago Hope's" Christine Lahti has been cast as the lead in USA Network's "Ellie Nelser Story," about the mother who gunned down the Sunday school teacher charged with molesting her seven-year-old son during the 1993 trial.

Nesler, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to a first-degree murder charge. But jurors determined that she was sane during the killing, and found her guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The single mother of two had advanced breast cancer at the time of her conviction. The California State Supreme Court ruled in August 1997 that Nesler deserved a new sanity trial; she was freed on parole last October, but her health is said to be deteriorating. Her son is now 16-years-old.

Writer Stephen Tolkin also penned the adaptation of Dean Koontz's "Intensity," a high-rated Fox miniseries that aired last summer, as well as the upcoming Dean Koontz novel-turned mini for ABC, "Mr. Murder." Lahti won an Oscar as director of the 1995 short film "Lieberman In Love," and a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series for her work as Dr. Kathryn Austin on her CBS medical drama.