life story of John Wojtowicz, who attempted to rob  a Chase Manhattan bank branch in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York on 22  August 1972. He and Salvatore Naturile held nine bank employees  hostage for over 14 hours. Wojtowicz was trying to get money for his  lover, Ernest Aron, to have a sex change operation. Naturale was  killed in the standoff and Wojtowicz received 20 years in a federal  penitentiary. Wojtowicz was paid $7,500 plus one percent of the net  movie profits for the movie rights for his story. He gave $2,500 to  Aron to have the operation. Aron had the surgery and changed her  name to Liz Eden. She died of AIDS in 1987. Wojtowicz was released  from prison after serving seven years.