Man robs bank of $1 to get health care in jail

Man robs bank of $1 to get health care in jail
Suspect robbed bank of $1, waited on police to arrest him

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)— A Gaston County man's jailhouse claim that he robbed a bank in Charlotte of $1 in order to get medical care in prison is attracting national attention.

According to WCNC, Richard James Verone said he has no medical insurance, but has an undiagnosed growth on his chest, two ruptured disks in his back and a problem with his foot.

Last Thursday he walked into a branch of the RBC Bank in Gastonia, N.C. and handed a teller a note which asked for one dollar -- then he sat in a chair waiting for the police to arrive.

The 59-year-old, who is unemployed, said he had no other choice than to rob the bank to get medical care.

"I wanted to make it known that this wasn't for monetary reasons, but for medical reasons," Verone said in the interview. "If it is called manipulation, then out of necessity because I need medical care then I guess I am manipulating the courts to get medical care."

He is scheduled to appear in court June 28.