Pubdate: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 Source: Star-News (NC) Copyright: 2006 Wilmington Morning Star Contact: http://www.wilmingtonstar.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/500 Author: Ken Little, Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) GUILTY PLEA IN OVERDOSING CASE A woman who gave her best friend Fentanyl-laced lollipops that caused a fatal overdose pleaded guilty Tuesday in Duplin County Superior Court to involuntary manslaughter. Joan Celeste Fussell, 43, was sentenced by Judge Jay D. Hockenbury to 36 months of supervised probation, along with a 16- to 20-month suspended prison sentence. Glenda Lee, 54, died on July 17, 2005. Both women were neighbors in the Deep Run section of Duplin County. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic narcotic about 80 times more potent than morphine. Recent deaths among heroin users across the United States have been linked to heroin cut with Fentanyl, which is sparingly prescribed for legitimate medical conditions. Prosecutors said Fussell gave Lee up to four prescription Actiq Fentanyl lollipops. Fussell had gone to the home of Lee, who was suffering from migraine headaches and was under a doctor's care. Fussell was prescribed the Fentanyl lollipops for serious medical problems, prosecuting Assistant District Attorney J.B. Askins said. Fussell said in court that she had known Lee since 1999 and described the woman as her best friend. "She said at the sentencing hearing that she gave her the lollipops to help with the headaches," Askins said. "There was not any evidence she had specific intent to harm her." Fussell admitted at the sentencing hearing "that she knew it was wrong to give medications prescribed only to the defendant to another person," according to information released by Duplin County District Attorney G. Dewey Hudson. Members of the victim's family, including Lee's husband, were present at the sentencing hearing. Brentwood Lee told Hockenbury "that he had forgiven the defendant and did not want her to receive an active prison sentence," Hudson said. "It's an extremely unusual case," Askins said. Lee was married for 39 years and had two sons. "This was a difficult case in light of the circumstances surrounding the death of Glenda Lee. (Hockenbury) commented that this was a case of killing someone with kindness," Hudson said in a prepared statement. "Although there was no evidence of malice, there did exist sufficient evidence of thoughtless disregard for the consequences of providing Fentanyl to Mrs. Lee," Hudson said. "A plea of involuntary manslaughter should send a message to the community that one who is prescribed drugs by a physician should not under any circumstances provide those drugs to another individual."