Guilty plea for 70-year-old KCK bank robber who chose prison over living with wife

Source: Kansas City Star
Published: Jan 24, 2017
Author: Tony Rizzo
Post Date: 2017-01-24 07:31:02 by cranky
Views: 1881

Lawrence John Ripple pleaded guilty Monday to robbing a bank in Kansas City, Kan., without an agreement with prosecutors. The prosecutors and defense attorney will be free to argue what sentence they think is appropriate. Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office

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.

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#1: A Pole    To: cranky, misterwhite (#0)

The most severe punishment? Sentence him to stay in his home!

A Pole posted on 2017-01-24 08:22:17   Reply   Private Reply


#2: Stoner    To: cranky (#0)

" Guilty plea for 70-year-old KCK bank robber who chose prison over living with wife "

WOW. Interesting

Stoner posted on 2017-01-24 08:22:44   Reply   Private Reply


#3: cranky    To: A Pole (#1)

Sentence him to stay in his home!

It wouldn't surprise me if home detention wasn't part of the sentence.

cranky posted on 2017-01-24 08:27:23   Reply   Private Reply


#4: cranky    To: Stoner (#2)

WOW. Interesting

Probably figures he'll get better meals in jail.

She must be a really lousy cook.

cranky posted on 2017-01-24 08:28:37   Reply   Private Reply


#5: Mudboy Slim    To: cranky, LOUis MESSier, Eeeener (#0)

"Be free and open and breezy! Enjoy!!
Things won't get any better so get used to it."

(Compliments of the Linux Fortune program.)

I feel ya, buddy...some wives ain't worth DIDDlee, BO...MUD

BTW...HOOZ LOU?!! Heh heh heh...

Mudboy Slim posted on 2017-01-24 10:23:03   Reply   Private Reply


#6: nativist nationalist    To: cranky (#3)

Sentence him to stay in his home!

It wouldn't surprise me if home detention wasn't part of the sentence.

That reminds of when John Mitchell was sentenced to prison. He took it stoically and found a silver lining to the cloud, commenting; "It could have been worse. They could have sentenced me to live with Martha Mitchell."

nativist nationalist posted on 2017-01-24 11:32:13   Reply   Private Reply