# No mention here of the guy who robbed a bank for one dollar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 21, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352 "2011-06-21T23:07:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/1 "2011-06-21T23:07:14Z")
A couple of news stories in Google News and at lest one TV channel reported on the guy who robbed a bank of one dollar ($1) to get arrested and get needed medical care. Apparently he failed because he needed to rob the bank for $2000 to assure that he got medical care. I actually think of this occasionally. Most of you are probably not old enough and/or sick enough and/or poor enough to realize that some medical care is really ridiculously expensive - and needed, because the patient has not hope of dropping dead soon and the tools for suicide are hard to come by. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/2 "2011-06-21T23:15:44Z")
You’re talking about [this story?](http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110621/ts_yblog_thelookout/man-robs-bank-to-get-medical-care-in-jail) I’m afraid my first reaction would be to heap unrelenting scorn on those conservatives who feel that charity and more corporate tax breaks and vouchers are the way to fix this, so I didn’t post it for debate. Honestly, its a huge issue, but the conservatives refuse to dig their heads out of sand and see that universal health care, or anything close to it, is better for the country. Things like this shouldn’t happen in America ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/3 "2011-06-21T23:20:24Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > You’re talking about [this story?](http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110621/ts_yblog_thelookout/man-robs-bank-to-get-medical-care-in-jail) > > I’m afraid my first reaction would be to heap unrelenting scorn on those conservatives who feel that charity and more corporate tax breaks and vouchers are the way to fix this, so I didn’t post it for debate. Honestly, its a huge issue, but the conservatives refuse to dig their heads out of sand and see that universal health care, or anything close to it, is better for the country. Things like this shouldn’t happen in America WORD! This should NEVER have to happen in a civilized country! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/4 "2011-06-21T23:29:41Z")
Wouldn’t it be great if thousands of homeless people did this, all on the same day? It’s as if conservatives never considered that the destitute wouild refuse to simply shut up and die in silence when the safety net is shredded. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/5 "2011-06-21T23:44:26Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > WORD! This should NEVER have to happen in a civilized country! I was reading on another board last week about someone saying they messed their hand up and couldn’t afford the hospital so it healed wrong. People from other countries posted about how bizzare a concept that was, that they wouldn’t even think of someone doing something like that. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It’s as if conservatives never considered that the destitute wouild refuse to simply shut up and die in silence when the safety net is shredded. I think most people with money have no idea how to understand how close to the bone some people live. Minimum account balances, overdraft charges? What are those? We don’t need credit card or banking reform, only irresponsible people can’t make their rent. ETA: > [@](#): > > Wouldn’t it be great if thousands of homeless people did this, all on the same day? And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people… ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/6 "2011-06-22T00:57:37Z")
This is not the first time this has happened, but dang it, I can’t find the cite. Back in the 90s, some guy committed a bank robbery–his goal was to stay in jail long enough so that when he got out he could collect social security. I don’t recall what his circumstances were; but he committed the crime peaceably, without threatening anybody, and sat down to wait for the police. The judge was really perplexed at having to sentence a guy who committed a crime, because the motive was unlike anything he’d seen before. Eventually, the judge passed sentence with the length the defendant wanted. You will see this become more commonplace, I’m afraid. The economic pie is shrinking and it’s every person for themselves. This will be resolved, but whether by ballot box, or by bullets remains to be seen. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/7 "2011-06-22T01:01:03Z")
Wait, he had a minimum amount he needed to steal to become eligible for health care in prison? Did I read that right? So only the REALLLLY bad ones get healthcare, while the moderately bad ones are out of luck? Please elaborate… ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/8 "2011-06-22T01:27:36Z")
$2000 for every state? Is robbing bank a federal crime? And that would cover all health care? Minimum security facilities for white collar crime like the one Madoff is in might not be too horrible. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/9 "2011-06-22T02:57:28Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > some guy committed a bank robbery–his goal was to stay in jail long enough so that when he got out he could collect social security. I don’t recall what his circumstances were; but he committed the crime peaceably, without threatening anybody, and sat down to wait for the police. The judge was really perplexed at having to sentence a guy who committed a crime, because the motive was unlike anything he’d seen before. Eventually, the judge passed sentence with the length the defendant wanted. > > You will see this become more commonplace, I’m afraid. The economic pie is shrinking and it’s every person for themselves. This will be resolved, but whether by ballot box, or by bullets remains to be seen. [See](http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/619/) [also](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cop_and_the_Anthem). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/10 "2011-06-22T03:36:42Z")
> [@brittekland](#): > > $2000 for every state? Is robbing bank a federal crime? Yes, because banks are insured by the FDIC. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mention-here-of-the-guy-who-robbed-a-bank-for-one-dollar/586352/11 "2011-06-23T00:42:44Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Wait, he had a minimum amount he needed to steal to become eligible for health care in prison? Did I read that right? So only the REALLLLY bad ones get healthcare, while the moderately bad ones are out of luck? Please elaborate… The article linked above says that he was charged with larceny instead of bank robbery because he only asked for $1. He will receive medical attention in jail, just like any other prisoner: > [@](#): > > 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. The article said the judge lowered his bail from $100,000 to $2000, but he doesn’t plan to pay it. Not sure how that was taken to mean that it was necessary to steal $2000 to get health care in jail.