Dialysis patient attempts bank robbery, then gives himself up

[RightSide]

Posted on Thu, May. 14, 2009
FDIC analyst accused of trying to rob bank
By MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star

An economist on leave from the federal agency that insures bank deposits was indicted Tuesday for allegedly attempting to rob an Independence bank last month.

Jeff W. Walser, 51, worked as regional economist for the Kansas City office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which protects bank depositors against losses, though not those from robbery. He was on leave at the time of the robbery and will remain on leave until his case his is resolved, said FDIC spokesman Andrew Gray.

Federal court records painted this picture of the robbery attempt:

Walser allegedly entered the Bank of America branch at 18820 East U.S. 40 on April 11, told an employee that he had a bomb and demanded cash. But when the employee returned with more than $41,000 stuffed into two cash bags, Walser did not move to take them.

Finally the employee asked, “Do we need to talk?”

“Yes,” Walser reportedly replied.

The two walked to an empty conference room where Walser reportedly opened his briefcase and showed that he didn’t really have a bomb.

The employee asked whether everything was OK.

“No, everything is not OK,” Walser said, and then asked the employee to call police.

Walser surrendered peacefully and is being held without bond.

He told investigators that he suffered from health problems and was “alone, discouraged and tired of working,” according to court records. He purportedly told authorities that his plan was to be arrested but not tell police that he required thrice-weekly dialysis treatments to survive.

“I wanted to be arrested and I wanted to die,” Walser is quoted as telling interviewers. “But after my arrest, I did not have the will to kill myself.”

A 12-year FDIC employee, Walser analyzed economic issues, writing on agriculture and rural banking concerns, Gray said.

“The corporation is thankful that no one was hurt in this very serious and unfortunate incident,” Gray said.

Although the FDIC would not have been responsible for any money Walser could have taken from the bank, the agency plays a role in his prosecution. According to the law, if a bank’s deposits are covered by the FDIC — as were those at the Bank of America — robbing it automatically is a federal crime.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1196150.html

[
Sad.
I live alone too.  I know how he feels.
]

[kristina]

It makes me feel terrible sad.
I don't know what to say.

[willowtreewren]

Even though we all share the pain of kidney failure in one way or another, it is really hard to understand the stresses and challenges that others face. This sad story really highlights how important it is not to judge the choices that others make when facing similar situations to ours.

How sad that this man felt he didn't have any other recourse. 

Aleta

[kitkatz]

He needed Ihatedialysis.com to be there for him.

[willowtreewren]

Exactly, Kitkatz! 

[kristina]

This report shook me very much and
brought back memories:
After my first kidney failure in 1971
(I was in a coma but recovered and was
lucky to keep my kidneys sweet until now)
I was put into a room with a lady who was
on dialysis and whilst I was fighting to
get my kidneys back working and recover
from the coma, this lady told me her plans
of committing suicide because
she saw no way
to have a life on dialysis.
Now I am back to where I started again,
fighting to keep my failing kidneys 
and there I am reading
this report of a poor soul in a very similar
situation as the lady I met in 1971.
It seems that not that much has changed
for kidney/dialysis patients in all this time
and I wonder why?
Why are kidney patients the "step-children"
of medicine? Has anyone an answers?