Legal Question in Discrimination Law in New York

On Sept. 30th 2009 at approximately 10:00 am, I stopped at the Harvest bank on Rt.49 in Pennsville NJ to do a business transaction at the Banks ATM, after exiting my car, I immediately proceeded to the ATM & deducted $40 from my checking account. I then immediately returned to my car only to be surrounded by police cars which one officer then told me that they had been summoned to the Bank by officials who assumed I was about to commit a bank robbery. I then showed the officers my reciept proving to them that I had just completed a business transaction from the ATM. After being made to sit there for approximately 35 to 40 mins. I was then issued a ticket for having a suspended license. I am a black man who stopped to utilize an ATM in a small town an was immediately assumed to be bank robber. I would like to know if I can bring forth a suit against the Harvest Bank an the Pennsville NJ police department on this unwarranted judgement.

I thank you in advance for your time & diligence regarding this matter

Mr. J. Green


Asked on 10/08/09, 2:03 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Locksley Wade Law Office of Locksley O. Wade

The questions is not whether you can bring suit but rather are you likely to prevail in a suit.

read the following then you may resubmit your question.

Pa. man indicted on charges he robbed Pennsville's Harvest Community Bank

By Randall Clark

October 05, 2009, 6:12PM

SALEM � A Pennsylvania man has been indicted by a grand jury here on a first-degree robbery charge in connection to the April 24 heist at the Harvest Community Bank in Pennsville Township.

Jovone L. Gordon, 26, of Culhane Street in Chester, allegedly walked into the bank branch on North Broadway (state Route 49) around 10 a.m. that day and demanded money from the teller. He walked out with more than $4,000 in cash, police said.

It was the first of two robberies at that location within a two-week period. Separate suspects in the May 4 incident have also been taken into police custody.

Gordon was apprehended only hours after the robbery thanks to some quick thinking from an off-duty Pennsville officer, who followed the getaway car as it sped from the parking lot that day, jotting down the Crown Victoria�s license plate number.

The officer had just finished working out at the gym next door, police said.

The vehicle was traced back to Gordon, who was arrested upon arriving at his home by members of the FBI and Chester Police. Surveillance footage taken at the bank helped in identifying Gordon.

Police had been seeking another individual believed to be the driver, but no additional arrests have been reported.

Police said Gordon had allegedly fled on foot to a Crown Victoria parked near the shuttered movie theater behind the bank, where the second suspect, identified only as a black male, was apparently waiting. They were seen driving erratically from the scene.

Beyond the robbery charge, Gordon has also been indicted on a single count of third-degree theft, according to court documents handed down by a Salem County grand jury recently. He remains lodged in the Salem County Correctional Facility in lieu of $250,000 bail after being extradited from his home state.

He is scheduled for a status conference on Oct. 19 in Superior Court here. Gordon could be looking at a maximum of 20 years in state prison if convicted on the first-degree charge.

Nobody was hurt during the ordeal and no customers were inside at the time, police said. Although a weapon was not shown, authorities allege that Gordon kept his hand in his pocket and tellers were unsure if he was armed. Police added the bank employees did exactly what they were trained to do.

The indictment reads that Gordon �put employees of Harvest Community Bank in fear of immediate bodily injury, while armed with a deadly weapon.�

Harvest, a prominent name in Salem County banking, has three additional branches in Pilesgrove Township, Salem City and Elmer Borough as well as a loan production office in Millville.

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Answered on 10/15/09, 4:20 pm


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