$ 1 Bank Robber

In June 2011, James Richard Verone, a 59‑year-old American from Gastonia, a city in the state of North Carolina, carried out a very unusual “bank robbery”: he handed a note to a teller demanding just one dollar and medical attention. Verone had lost his job of 17 years working as a Coca-Cola delivery driver, and with it his health insurance. He later worked in a convenience store, but his health deteriorated severely: he was suffering from chronic back pain (ruptured discs), arthritis, a painful foot, and a noticeable growth on his chest.

Before the “robbery,” Verone mailed a letter to his local newspaper, The Gaston Gazette, with the return address listed as the Gaston County Jail. In the letter he wrote:

“This robbery is being committed by me for one dollar … I am of healthy mind but not so much healthy body.”

On June 9, he took a cab to an RBC Bank in Gastonia, walked in unarmed, handed the note to the teller, and quietly sat down in a chair in the lobby, waiting for the police. When they arrived, he was arrested without incident. Because he demanded only a dollar, prosecutors charged him with larceny from a person, a misdemeanor, rather than a more serious bank‑robbery felony.

Verone’s attorney argued that his act was not motivated by greed or violence, but by desperation. Without health insurance, Verone had tried other legal ways: he applied for disability, attempted early Social Security, and even considered burdening his family. His goal was to be incarcerated long enough to receive adequate medical treatment. As Verone himself explained:

“If it is called manipulation … I guess I am manipulating the courts to get medical care … out of necessity.”

Authorities reported that once in jail, Verone was seen by nurses and scheduled to see a doctor. He expressed hope for a three‑year sentence, which he believed would allow him to receive surgery for his back, foot, and the chest growth — and to apply for Social Security after.

In the end, Verone made a deal with prosecutors and spent approximately one year in jail receiving the medical care he could not afford before. His case became a symbol of profound systemic injustice in the U.S. health-care system: many people without insurance face astronomical medical costs, and some might see prison as the only way to guarantee access to treatment.

Critics of his plan warned that using prison as a way to get health care is very problematic. Others argued that his story put a spotlight  on the urgent need for reform: the U.S. system, which links insurance to employment and leaves millions vulnerable, had failed him. Verone’s case revived debate about healthcare reform and the importance of social safety nets.

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2. Vocabulary Match  

Paragraph 1

1. desperation  a. a physical lump or bulge on the body

2. protrusion  b. A complete loss or absence of hope that leads to extreme actions

3. larceny  c.  relating to or affecting an entire system

4. bond  d. theft of personal property

5. teller  e. something essential or unavoidable

6. necessity  f. money paid to secure release from jail before trial

7. systemic  g. a bank employee who handles deposits and withdrawls and customer service

Paragraph 2  

8. lobby         h.  to put someone in prison

9. incarcerate  i.  to focus on or bring attention to someone or something

10. unarmed   j.   A conflict or issue that needs a legal solution, usually in court

11. put a spotlight  k. not having any weapons

12. chronic l. a change made to improve a system

13. reform  m. long-term, persistent (usually about illness)

14. misdemeanor      n. to become progressively worse

15. deteriorated  o . a minor criminal offense  

16. noticeable           p.  to brig back to life or to give new strength or energy  

17. revived        q. easily seen or noticed; clear or apparent.

18.  case     n. the first room when you enter a building, sometimes referred to as the reception area

3. Synonym Match 

Match each word (left) to its synonym (right).

1.  astronomical — a) requirement

2.  guarantee          — b) unfairness

3.  safety net  — c) structural

4. bond          — d) selfishness

5. greed          — e)  government aid  

6. necessity  — f) change

7. systemic   — g)  enormous

8. injustice   — h) imprison

9. incarcerate  — i) bail

10. reform      — j)  ensure

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4. Discussion / Communicative Questions

1. Do you believe Verone’s crime was morally justified? Why or why not?

2. Should prisons provide free healthcare? What are the ethical and practical implications?

3. What reforms to the U.S. healthcare system might prevent stories like Verone’s?

4. Is it acceptable for someone to “manipulate the system” if they feel they have no other choice?

5. How does public perception of crime change when the motive is “desperation” or “survival”?

6. In your country, what happens to people who cannot afford medical care? How does that compare to Verone’s options?

7. How effective is prison as a “safety net” for people who lack basic social services?

8. What role do empathy and legal responsibility play in such a case—who is to blame?

9. Could Verone’s case have been handled differently by social services, before he resorted to a crime? How?

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5. Court Hearing

• Roles: James Verone - the $1 Bank Robber , Prosecutor, Defense Lawyer, Judge, Reporter

• Task: Simulate a court hearing. Verone explains his motivations, the prosecutor argues the crime was wrong, the defense tries to humanize him, and the judge must decide on a sentence.

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6. Debate:   

Debate Topic: “Jail should never be a means to obtain healthcare.”

• Team A (For): Argue that using jail for healthcare undermines justice, encourages crime, and misuses public funds.

• Team B (Against): Argue that until the health-care system changes, for some people jail is the only way to guarantee life-saving care—society should address root causes.

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7.  Role-Plays

Role-Play A – “The Day Verone Decided to Go to the Bank”

Characters:

• James Verone – exhausted, in pain, desperate

• Friend – concerned and shocked by his plan

Script Starter:
Verone: I can’t keep living like this, man  ! I can’t get surgery, I can’t afford treatment!
Friend: But going to a bank and asking for one dollar? James, that’s crazy dude!
Verone: It’s the only way to see a doctor. Jail will take care of me.
Friend: There has to be another option… right?
→ Students continue. They decide whether he goes through with it or finds an alternative.

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Role-Play B – “Debate at a Family Dinner: Should Prison Provide Free Healthcare?”

Characters:

• Mother – believes the system is unfair but doesn’t know the solution

• Teenager – thinks Verone was justified

• Step Father – believes using jail for treatment is irresponsible

Script Starter:
Mothert: Did you hear about the man who robbed a bank for health care?
Teenager: Honestly, I think he did the only thing he could.
Step Father: What? Crime isn’t the solution. The system is the problem!
Teenager: Exactly — and until it changes, people will do desperate things.
→ Students continue debating ethics, morality, and possible reforms.

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Role-Play C – “A 2024 Conversation: Should Health Insurance Still Be Tied to Employment?”

Characters:

• Sam – lost job → lost insurance

• Ellie – believes the system needs major reform

Script Starter:
Sam: Every time I switch jobs, I lose my coverage. It’s exhausting.
Ellie: That’s exactly why people like Verone fall through the cracks.
Sam: I feel like I’m gambling with my own health.
Ellie: We need a system that protects people, not employers.
→ Students continue with real examples and proposed solutions.

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8.  Choose one of these 10 things that were affordable in the past that are now too exepensive. 

• Explain why the price changed

• Discuss who benefits and who suffers

• Agree on why affordability matters

• Suggest one solution to make it affordable again

 Essential Things

1. Housing

2. Education

3. Healthcare

4. Transportation

5. Food (groceries)

6. Childcare

7. Utilities

8. Clothing

9. Mobile phones & plans

10. Entertainment & leisure

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9A. Fill-in-the-Blanks

 desperate | | | bond | manipulating | necessity | | injustice | incarcerate |  | uninsured | reform

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Fill-in-the-Blanks 

1. For James it was more a _________ than a crime – he believed he had no other choice.

2. Many people believed that his story represented a deep   _________.

3. His story created demands for _________ of how health care is funded in America.

4. After losing his job, he was completely _________ and unable to afford any medical care.

5. Verone said he was _________ the system, but only because he saw no other way.

6. He accepted that eventually they would _________ him for his act.

7. They set his _________ at $2,000, but he chose to stay in jail.

8. His lawyer insisted that he had been _________, not greedy.

9B. Fill-in-the-Blanks Part II:

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Fill-in-the-Blanks 

1. In the U.S., if you do not have insurance and need to go to the hospial, it is unbelievably  expensive. It would cost you   _________  ________ _________ ________ _________ .

2. You think that the social system in Spain is so much better than the social system in the U.S. The difference is so big that you cannot even compare. It is    _________ and _________.

3. If someone is only able to pay for their basic needs for survival, then we say that they are living   _________ to  _________.

4. If someone has a job but the salary is very low, we can say they are getting paid   _________ .

5.  If someone is trying to advise you to be careful with how you spend your money because you might need it when things are bad, then we say:  Save your penny for a _________day .

6. An   _________ a day , keeps the doctor away .

7. If you are trying to improve your situation but you don´t have patience, someone can advise you that : Rome wasn´t _________ in a day.

8. If someone did something illegal and they were not caught by the authorities, then they got _________  _________ _________ .

9. If you are going through a difficult moment in your life, but sometimes diffuclt situations can help us grow from it , then the expression is:  What doesn´t kill you makes you  _________ .

10. Your friend works in sales and deals with a lot of rejections every day. You ask your friend what is the secret to not giving up and feeling bad with the daily rejections. Your friend tells you : ¨When I first started, I had very  _________  _________ and every rejection affected me a lot. But if I wanted to continue, then I had to grow a _________  _________¨.

11. Your colleagues are on prolonged sick leave and there are not enough people at work. The company is _________________.  You are asked if you can do your work and their work at the same time. You must  ________________your work and their work. 

12. If you said yes and now you feel that you have more work than it is possible to accomplish, then you  ________ more than you can  _________.

13. If your friends are accusing you of working too much and that you are becoming addicted to work, then they can accuse you of being a ________ .

14. You let them know that it is a temporary situation and that once the other employess return back to work, you promise them that you will all take a holiday together. For them this is amazing news! It is  ________ to their ________ !

15. Last Tuesday it rained so much ! It rained _________  ________ _________ .

16. However, this is somethig that rarely happens in Barcelona.  It  happens  _________  ________ _________ ________ _________ .

17. Your friend  recently moved to Barcelona and in the beginning they didn´t like it because they were missing their country alot . They were _________ .

18.  However, after a few weeks they got accustomed to the life here and now Barcelona is  _________  ________ _________ .

10.Europe vs. U.S.

Two groups represent a “relocation agency” whose job is to convince people that their region is the better place to live.

• Group A: Europe Promotion Team

• Group B: U.S. Promotion Team

Group A: Europe

They can  promote Europe using these examples :

• Universal healthcare

• Free or affordable higher education

• Generous paid vacation & parental leave

• Reliable public transportation

• Strong social safety nets

• Something not on the list

Group B: United States

They must promote the U.S. using these examples :

• Cheap and abundant fast food options

• Affordable Cars  

• 24/7 convenience stores and late night coffee shops 

• Affordable consumer goods

• Larger homes and more privacy

• Something not on the list

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 11.Students imagine how different media outlets would report James Verone’s story.

Step 1: Assign each group a media perspective
Examples:

• Sensationalist tabloid

• Conservative news outlet

• Progressive/social justice publication

• One headline

• A 2–3 sentence news summary