Remember Lawrence John Ripple, 71, who tried to rob a bank in Kansas City, Kansas, last September and said he did it so he would be thrown in jail and could get away from his wife?
On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that because Ripple was depressed, he would only be sentenced to probation — and that he would be sentenced as well to home-confinement.
Ouch.
According to court records, Ripple had written the robbery note in front of his wife before he went to the bank, then handed the note, which read, “I have a gun, give me money,” to a teller. After the teller gave Ripple $2,924, he sat down in the bank lobby waiting for the police. He had told his wife he would rather be in jail than at home with her.
Instead, he will be home with her instead of in jail.
According to The Kansas City Star, Ripple told the judge his heart surgery had left him depressed and unlike himself. Ripple had no prior criminal record.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania said Ripple’s attorney and federal prosecutors had asked for leniency, a request supported by the vice president of the bank and the teller who got the note from Ripple.