ANTIDEPRESSANTS & PAIN MEDS: Man in Wheelchair Robs Bank: Florida

Paragraph nine reads:  “Reed lost the use of both of his
legs in 1986 from a gunshot wound. One of his legs was amputated just five
months before the robbery. His attorney argued he was
on anti-depressants and pain medication at the time.”

http://www.wftv.com/countybycounty/20813137/detail.html

Wheelchair-Bound Bank Robber Sentenced To Jail

Posted: 12:32 pm EDT September 9, 2009Updated: 1:16 pm EDT September 9,
2009

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The man who robbed a bank in his

wheelchair, and then hid the money in his prosthetic leg, was back in court
Wednesday morning. Christopher Reed entered a guilty plea and will serve time in
jail.

Reed wasn’t given any breaks because of his physical condition. In
fact, Judge John Harris said robbing the bank and threatening to blow it up were
both serious offenses. He ended up following sentencing guidelines and sent Reed
to prison for three years.

Reed, 48, took responsibility for his crimes,
apologizing from his wheelchair.

“I would like to say to the employees
and customers … that I am very, very sorry for my actions that day,” Reed said.

The paraplegic Merritt Island man drove his motorized wheelchair into
Space Coast Credit Union in November 2008. With a black stick and a lighter in
his hand, he told the teller he wanted $40,000 or he was going to blow the bank
up.

Reed’s defense attorney, though, in asking for leniency, said he
never caused any panic.

“Customer actually held the door for Mr. Reed
after Mr. Reed had just robbed the bank,” Reed’s attorney argued.

Reed
was caught not far from the bank. The sheriff’s helicopter was barely in the air
when he was spotted nearby. Deputies found $1,300 stuffed in his prosthetic leg.

Reed lost the use of both of his legs in 1986 from a gunshot wound. One
of his legs was amputated just five months before the robbery. His attorney
argued he was on anti-depressants and pain medication at the time.

The
judge, though, noted he faced 30 year years in prison before the plea agreement.

“These are very serious crimes that you have committed here,” Judge
Harris said.

The judge sentenced him to 34 months in prison and three
years of probation and he isn’t allowed into a Space Coast Credit Union again.
His attorney tried to get a lighter sentence, questioning whether there were
adequate facilities for men in Reed’s condition, but Judge John Harris shot that
notion down right away.

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