North Carolina man, James Verone, 59, had always been a low-key working man and had never before been in trouble with the law. He worked 17 years as a driver for Coca Cola. Then 3 years ago, as the economy went sour, he was laid off. He found short-term work as a driver for other companies. When when those jobs ran out, he got any part time work he could find and supplemented with his life’s savings.
Verone wasn’t picky about jobs. When no driving gigs were around, he worked part time as a convenience store clerk. But, he was also starting to have a list of painful physical problems—two ruptured disks in his back, an injured left foot causing him to limp, worsening arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. It became clear that standing on his feet all day was no longer and option.
And then all of a sudden there was this scary-looking protruding growth that turned up out of nowhere on his chest. Clearly that puppy needed to be looked into. But ever since the Coke job had vaporized, Verone possessed no health insurance.
What to do? He tried applying for disability, but no luck. The only thing he qualified for was food stamps.
When Verone’s savings began to run out, and the pain worsened considerably he felt he had to take action.
Diane Turbyfill of the Gaston Gazette has the story. Here are some clips:
James Richard Verone woke up June 9 with a sense of anticipation.
He took a shower.
Ironed his shirt.
Hailed a cab.
Then robbed a bank.
He wasn’t especially nervous. If anything, Verone said he was excited to finally execute his plan to gain access to free medical care.
[SNIP]He took a cab down New Hope Road and picked a bank at random — RBC Bank.
Verone didn’t want to scare anyone. He executed the robbery the most passive way he knew how.
He handed the teller a note demanding one dollar, and medical attention.
[SNIP]
Until last week Verone had never been in trouble with the law.
Now he hopes to be booked as a felon and held in prison where he can be treated for several physical afflictions….
Actually his real hope is that he will be locked up, and have his health needs taken care of, and be paroled when he’s old enough to collect Social Security and get on Medicare.
The only problem is, because of the paltry sum he demanded, the authorities have not charged him as bank robber, but with the much less serious crime of “larceny on a person,” which will not get Varone the time inside that he needs.
This is what we’ve come to.
Not that most lawmakers seem to give a damn.
Jeeze-Louise. Does our health care system suck.
This reads as if Mr. Verone came right out of the pages of Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22.”
Also, Celeste, your subtle little editorializing is pitch perfect.
Excellent stuff.
Thanks, Rob.
And, yeah, our health care system really, really, REALLY sucks.
Reminds me of something that happened in NYC several years ago: a man wanted treatment for a drug habit and ended up throwing a brick through the window of a police precinct in order to get arreated.
Of course the response on the right would be to curtail health care for those in prison . . .
“Of course the response on the right would be to curtail health care for those in prison..”
Sadly, yes.
But fortunately, that pesky SCOTUS decision known as Brown v. Plata would now prevent such a move.
That and the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/09-1233.ZS.html
In California, you need to have at least 3 years left to get put on the list for major medical issues. Also in California, public health care is as bad as prison health care.