TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Rodolfo Valladares wore the wrong hat to the bank while trying to cash a $100 check in a case of mistaken identity that's led to a court battle over $3.3 million.
The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case where Valladares walked up to a teller while wearing a Miami Heat hat with a check and his license in hand. The teller panicked and hit the silent alarm, thinking he was a bank robber who had been seen wearing a Miami Heat hat.
Valladares says that within minutes, police subdued him and kicked him in the head, leaving him permanently injured. He sued Bank of America, and a jury awarded him $3.3 million.
But an appeals court overturned the verdict, saying state laws protect people who simply report suspected crimes.
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