Man robs bank to get medical care in jail

[RandomGuy]

Man robs bank to get medical care in jail
By Zachary Roth

Some people who need medical care but can't afford it go to the emergency room. Others just hope they'll get better. James Richard Verone robbed a bank.

Earlier this month, Verone (pictured), a 59-year-old convenience store clerk, walked into a Gaston, N.C., bank and handed the cashier a note demanding $1 and medical attention. Then he waited calmly for police to show up.

http://mit.zenfs.com/102/2011/06/James-Verone.jpg
(Photo: Ben Goff/The Gaston Gazette)

He's now in jail and has an appointment with a doctor this week.

Verone's problems started when he lost the job he'd held for 17 years as a Coca Cola deliveryman, amid the economic downturn. He found new work driving a truck, but it didn't last. Eventually, he took a part-time position at the convenience store.

But Verone's body wasn't up to it. The bending and lifting made his back ache. He had problems with his left foot, making him limp. He also suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis.

Then he noticed a protrusion on his chest. "The pain was beyond the tolerance that I could accept," Verone told the Gaston Gazette. "I kind of hit a brick wall with everything."

Verone knew he needed help--and he didn't want to be a burden on his sister and brothers. He applied for food stamps, but they weren't enough either.

So he hatched a plan. On June 9, he woke up, showered, ironed his shirt. He mailed a letter to the Gazette, listing the return address as the Gaston County Jail.

"When you receive this a bank robbery will have been committed by me," Verone wrote in the letter. "This robbery is being committed by me for one dollar. I am of sound mind but not so much sound body."

Then Verone hailed a cab to take him to the RBC Bank. Inside, he handed the teller his $1 robbery demand.

"I didn't have any fears," said Verone. "I told the teller that I would sit over here and wait for police."

The teller was so frightened that she had to be taken to the hospital to be checked out. Verone, meanwhile, was taken to jail, just as he'd planned it.

Because he only asked for $1, Verone was charged with larceny, not bank robbery. But he said that if his punishment isn't severe enough, he plans to tell the judge that he'll do it again. His $100,000 bond has been reduced to $2,000, but he says he doesn't plan to pay it.

In jail, Verone said he skips dinner to avoid too much contact with the other inmates. He's already seen some nurses and is scheduled to see a doctor on Friday. He said he's hoping to receive back and foot surgery, and get the protrusion on his chest treated. Then he plans to spend a few years in jail, before getting out in time to collect Social Security and move to the beach.

Verone also presented the view that if the United States had a health-care system which offered people more government support, he wouldn't have had to make the choice he did.

"If you don't have your health you don't have anything," Verone said.

The Affordable Care Act, President Obama's health-care overhaul passed by Congress last year, was designed to make it easier for Americans in situations like Verone's to get health insurance. But most of its provisions don't go into effect until 2014.

As it is, Verone said he thinks he chose the best of a bunch of bad options. "I picked jail."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110621/ts_yblog_thelookout/man-robs-bank-to-get-medical-care-in-jail
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Think you aren't going to be paying for the uninsured?

Think again.

National health insurance, via single payor ftw.

[RandomGuy]

Extra points for funny captions of the picture.

[boutons_deux]

dubya's universal health care: "Just Go To The Emergency Room (c)"

[CosmicCowboy]

http://mit.zenfs.com/102/2011/06/James-Verone.jpg
So THATS why they call my new cellmate "Kingsnake"...:wow

[DMX7]

Welcome to ruins of Bush's America.

[Blake]

http://mit.zenfs.com/102/2011/06/James-Verone.jpg

"My 10 predictions from 2005 came true"

[coyotes_geek]

:rollin

Blake wins.

[Stringer_Bell]

http://mit.zenfs.com/102/2011/06/James-Verone.jpg


"Why do the green beans taste like rainbows all of the sudden?"

[RandomGuy]

http://mit.zenfs.com/102/2011/06/James-Verone.jpg

Guess what I filled the Superdome with!

[RandomGuy]

:rollin

Blake wins.

I came dangerously close to snorting my coffee on that one. Props to Blake.

[TeyshaBlue]

That dude looks alot like George Carlin.

[cheguevara]

acLW1vFO-2Q

[ElNono]

:lol Blake

On a more serious note, what is the solution? We just stop enforcing the law?

[DarrinS]

Wow. What a great example to set for others.

Kinda like calling 911 because McDonalds screwed up you mcnuggets.


pathetic

[DarrinS]

Sacrificing liberty for entitlements and tyranny.

Hmmm.

[baseline bum]

:lol Blake

On a more serious note, what is the solution? We just stop enforcing the law?

Why would the law stop this? The only loser in this situation is the taxpayer.

[ElNono]

Sacrificing liberty for entitlements and tyranny.

Hmmm.

Is that the new name for unaffordable health care? :lol

[ElNono]

Why would the law stop this? The only loser in this situation is the taxpayer.

Well, he's obviously trying to and successfully 'gaming the system'.

[baseline bum]

Well, he's obviously trying to and successfully 'gaming the system'.

The system that makes a grip of money on his incarceration?

[cheguevara]

Wow. What a great example to set for others.

Kinda like calling 911 because McDonalds screwed up you mcnuggets.


pathetic

read the article. Guy couldn't move due to the pain. Not really like mcnuggets.

[ElNono]

The system that makes a grip of money on his incarceration?

Well, it still costs us taxpayers a good chunk. Not to mention I'm pretty sure the DA and prosecutor will probably want to discourage this.

The thing is, does he have to commit a more serious crime? It's all backwards.

[Crookshanks]

I actually feel sorry for this man. He doesn't seem to be a freeloader and he tried his best to find work to support himself. I believe there should be some sort of safety net for people like him - it's the lazy, able-bodied people gaming the system that really piss me off.

[ElNono]

You have to wonder if he couldn't qualify for Medicaid or Medicare (he's 59, but if you're disabled you would qualify).

[ElNono]

The Cop and the Anthem by O Henry (http://www.classicreader.com/book/1757/1/) from December 1904...

[Blake]

Well, he's obviously trying to and successfully 'gaming the system'.

He should go to jail for purposely going to jail.



Universal healthcare would be the solution, imo.

[ElNono]

He should go to jail for purposely going to jail.

http://img.tgfb.net/use/src/130730992640.jpg


Universal healthcare would be the solution, imo.

Agree.

[SnakeBoy]

I believe there should be some sort of safety net for people like him

There is. The title for this thread should be "Man is an idiot".

[jack sommerset]

Dont give him medical treatment. Problem solved.

[Bender]

I thought this part was funny:

the guy was calm, and "sat over there to wait for the police", but...


The teller was so frightened that she had to be taken to the hospital to be checked out.

not to mention that he was stealing a dollar.

[jack sommerset]

This is the part I found most disturbing

"Verone knew he needed help--and he didn't want to be a burden on his sister and brothers."

[LnGrrrR]

The teller was so frightened that she had to be taken to the hospital to be checked out.

They should probably hire a new teller. In the event of a real bank robbery, she might have a heart attack.

[ElNono]

Dont give him medical treatment. Problem solved.

And then the state becomes liable for denying care if he dies in prison?
Who's footing that bill?


This is the part I found most disturbing

"Verone knew he needed help--and he didn't want to be a burden on his sister and brothers."

Why? Provided he paid his taxes (and this guy strikes me as the kind that would), he's just getting the services he paid for, in exchange for temporarily losing his freedom. Now, we can agree or not whether that's a sound decision, but I don't see him being a freeloader.

[jacobdrj]

Were I a judge, I would simply state that because he just gave a note to a teller, made no direct threats and sent a letter to a paper clearly stating his purpose was not to rob a bank, I would throw the case out...

Were I a judge...

As for the dude...
Good for him. Smart man. Glad he was able to find a way to get care.

[ElNono]

Were I a judge, I would simply state that because he just gave a note to a teller, made no direct threats and sent a letter to a paper clearly stating his purpose was not to rob a bank, I would throw the case out...

Were I a judge...

As for the dude...
Good for him. Smart man. Glad he was able to find a way to get care.

True. The question is what do you deter him with from doing it again as soon as he leaves the court?

[SnakeBoy]

Why? Provided he paid his taxes (and this guy strikes me as the kind that would), he's just getting the services he paid for, in exchange for temporarily losing his freedom.

He was a convenience store clerk so he didn't pay income tax. Probably a safe bet any other taxes he paid didn't cover his share of all government services he used plus free healthcare.

[cheguevara]

He was a convenience store clerk so he didn't pay income tax. Probably a safe bet any other taxes he paid didn't cover his share of all government services he used plus free healthcare.

do you think any of the millions of criminals in jail have paid their share of the healthcare they are receiving?

[cheguevara]

it's funny the only real federated healthcare is the jail system's and it's pretty decent that ppl want to be jailed for it.

my solution, outsource the jail system healthcare to a private health provider. Problem solved

[ElNono]

He was a convenience store clerk so he didn't pay income tax. Probably a safe bet any other taxes he paid didn't cover his share of all government services he used plus free healthcare.

If he had a job, produced an income and was exempted from paying taxes, you need to blame whoever passes the tax laws.

But the 'cover his share' is a strawman. That's just not how taxes work. I've never needed the services of a fireman in my entire life. Does that mean I'm exempt from paying for the service? You do that and all of a sudden there's no more fire departments. Or jails, or police stations, etc.

[boutons_deux]

"only real federated healthcare is the jail system's and it's pretty decent that ppl want to be jailed for it."

The VA is a (vastly improved) govt health care system, too.

[SnakeBoy]

But the 'cover his share' is a strawman. That's just not how taxes work. I've never needed the services of a fireman in my entire life. Does that mean I'm exempt from paying for the service? You do that and all of a sudden there's no more fire departments. Or jails, or police stations, etc.

No it's not a strawman in the context of your position. You are the one making the claim that he paid for the services he received thru taxes.


he's just getting the services he paid for

I never made such claims. And you don't need to explain to me how taxes work since you were the one claiming this man paid for the services he has recieved. Feel free to continue to argue against your own position though.

[ElNono]

No it's not a strawman in the context of your position. You are the one making the claim that he paid for the services he received thru taxes.

I said that if he paid his taxes, he's just getting a service that he paid for. Which is completely correct. If your house catches fire, you expect the fire truck to arrive and put it out. And you should receive that service seeing that you're a tax-paying, law abiding citizen. If you set your house on fire on purpose, then the firemen will still go and you still won't get a bill.


I never made such claims. And you don't need to explain to me how taxes work since you were the one claiming this man paid for the services he has recieved.

If your contention is that because he's poor, he didn't contribute much or anything through taxes, then I think you're barking to the wrong tree. He didn't write the laws that potentially exempted him. At the end of the day he is paying a price for doing this, which is losing his freedom. How much value that should carry comparatively to economic values is certainly debatable.

[TDMVPDPOY]

this is what i dont get, why doesnt the govt allow him access his superannuation or 401k plan to pay for his medical, thats if he has any

[SnakeBoy]

If your contention is that because he's poor, he didn't contribute much or anything through taxes,

That really wasn't my contention although it is likely true in his case, but again feel free to argue against your position that he is just getting services that he already paid for.

[ElNono]

That really wasn't my contention although it is likely true in his case, but again feel free to argue against your position that he is just getting services that he already paid for.

So your strawman was just a distraction... okay.

[SnakeBoy]

this is what i dont get, why doesnt the govt allow him access his superannuation or 401k plan to pay for his medical, thats if he has any

He doesn't even need that. There is plenty of help out there for those who need it both through the govt. and private. This guy didn't bother to take advantage of any of it and instead chose to be stupid. If your ever in his postion just call the hospital and ask for a social worker and they'll point you in the right direction.

[ElNono]

He doesn't even need that. There is plenty of help out there for those who need it both through the govt. and private. This guy didn't bother to take advantage of any of it and instead chose to be stupid. If your ever in his postion just call the hospital and ask for a social worker and they'll point you in the right direction.

This I agree with.

[SnakeBoy]

So your strawman was just a distraction... okay.

I knew you know how taxes work and I knew you wouldn't admit your statement was wrong. So yeah I just wanted to see you argue for and against you own position.

[ElNono]

I knew you wouldn't admit your statement was wrong.

I'll admit when I make a wrong statement. I'll clarify it for you if you have a problem following it, or if it's not clear enough.

The difference here is that you know what I meant, you just didn't like/agree with it. Which is ok. You don't need to bring a strawman to tell me you don't agree.

[SnakeBoy]

Ok Darrin

[ElNono]

??

[jacobdrj]

It is a deterrent in that now he knows that there is a precedent that if you announce your intentions blatantly, your actions will not be considered anything other than disturbing the peace.

Obviously, this may cause him to escalate his tactics to the level of bringing in a weapon.

[silverblk mystix]

I've got news for you. This happens every day, every year in every major city. What do you think happens when the weather is so cold and a person has no place to go?
A lot of people in jail are there because, unfortunately, for them it is an upgrade over what they had on the outside.

They get three hot meals, showers, medical attention,etc...

A lot of inmates return time and again because they get tired of how hard their life is on the outside. We call them "frequent fliers."

[lil'mo]

http://mit.zenfs.com/102/2011/06/James-Verone.jpg
"He said he's hoping to receive back and foot surgery, and get the protrusion on his chest treated. Then he plans to spend a few years in jail, before getting out in time to collect Social Security and move to the beach."

:lmao this guy is the shit!