‘Loanshark Bob’ wants the max

The settlement of Robert Marion, a.k.a. “Loanshark Bob,” has hit a snag, reportedly because Marion is refusing to accept the amount. A familiar street figure who used to hang out around Tompkins Sq. Park but now can be found camped out with his shopping cart in Union Sq. by the subway entrance, Marion sued the city and Health and Hospitals Corporation for an incident five years ago when he was confined against his will at Bellevue for six days and injected with mind-numbing drugs. The confinement occurred after Marion had gone to Bellevue expecting to get a circumcision for a painful condition. But the appointment was canceled, causing hime to go on an angry rant about “povercide,” his theory that the government is killing people through poverty. Last November, a jury in the federal case gave a verdict that he should be awarded damages of $1 million. However, the judge in the case, Douglas Eaton, lowered the judgment to $181,000. Marion has reportedly recently been heard saying on the street that he won’t accept the lower amount and wants $1 billion. Bill Brooks, Marion’s attorney, said the court will now appoint guardian to decide whether to proceed with trial or award the judgment. Brooks said another guardian will be appointed to help Marion manage the money from the judgment. More recently, Marion was among two dozen people whose photos were shown on TV on the Aug. 31 “Nightline” segment on security during the Republican Convention and who were described as “troublesome, even dangerous, anarchists who…try to provoke violence.”