Guilty plea for 70-year-old Kansas City bank robber who chose prison over living with wife | Miami Herald

 

 

A 70-year-old Kansas City, Kan., man pleaded guilty Monday to robbing a bank last year because, he said, he was tired of living with his wife.

 

Lawrence John Ripple pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., to the robbery last September of the Bank of Labor at 756 Minnesota Ave.

 

Ripple was released on bond after he was charged in September and was accompanied to court by his wife Monday. They declined to comment after the hearing.

 

Ripple pleaded guilty without an agreement with prosecutors. The prosecutors and defense attorney will be free to argue what sentence they think is appropriate.

 

The judge will set a sentencing date after a presentencing investigation.

 

The bank he robbed is a block from Kansas City, Kan., police headquarters.

 

The robbery was captured on bank surveillance video that showed Ripple hand a note to a teller. The note read, “I have a gun, give me money,” according to court documents.

 

The teller handed over $2,924, but instead of fleeing, Ripple sat down in the bank lobby.

 

When a bank security guard approached him, Ripple told the guard that he was the person the guard was looking for, according to the documents. The guard took Ripple into custody and recovered the money that had just been taken.

 

Later, when questioned by police and FBI agents, Ripple said that he and his wife had an argument earlier in the day and he said he “no longer wanted to be in that situation,” according to the affidavit filed to support the bank robbery charge.

 

Ripple said he wrote out his robbery note in front of his wife and told her he would rather be in jail than at home. He then said he walked to the bank and committed the robbery.

If he never left the bank is it still robbery?

If he never left the bank is it still robbery?

No. It's just a loan that wasn't approved.

No. It's just a loan that wasn't approved.

 

Think that will work in court.

He'll probably get a diversion and have to go back to living with his wife lol.

I'm sure his wife was quick to remind him that this is another thing that he couldn't do right in life and that she should have married whatshisname... :lol2:

I'm sure his wife was quick to remind him that this is another thing that he couldn't do right in life and that she should have married whatshisname... :lol2:

 

Well of course it is...I mean the guy robbed a bank to get away from his wife so it's obvious that all of his problems in life are directly related to her !

Think that will work in court.

Depends on if the judge is a married male.

Sounds like he has already served a life sentence. Probably feels like multiple life sentences served consecutively.

Sounds like he has already served a life sentence. Probably feels like multiple life sentences served consecutively.

 

I think you're on to something....I'm still stunned. Robbed a bank to avoid his wife...:idunno:

Are we sure this isn't the guy married to the whacko that got kicked off the plane yesterday for going nuts on the guy she was sitting next to...because he liked Trump? The husband was just sitting calmly while his wife was absolutely making a fool of herself and he made no expressions at all. I guess he has heard it all before and has learned how to tune her out. If I was married to her I may think jail is a better option...lol

Right there with you buddy..

Behind every bad man there's a bad woman...

Kansas husband who robbed bank to avoid wife sentenced to home confinement | KFOR.com

Behind every bad man there's a bad woman...

 

And behind every successful man there's a surprised mother-in-law.