Jurors screened for bank robbery trial

BARSTOW • Jury selection will continue next week in the trial of five people accused of robbing a Barstow bank last year.

The following people are on trial for the  October 27, 2009 robbery of the Chase Bank at 1291 East Main Street and are charged with robbery, assault with a semiautomatic rifle, conspiracy, and kidnapping to commit crime:

• James Rials, 42, of Moreno Valley
• Jamaal Waiters, 27, of Lancaster
• Benny Harris, 46, of Los Angeles
• Anthony Chambers, 24, of Los Angeles
• Lasalle Kimbrough, 20, of Los Angeles

A sixth member of the group, Tamla Travis, 38, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery with gang allegations on August 25 in a plea bargain agreement for an estimated sentence of 12 to 15 years. Her sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14.

In the robbery, three men entered the bank and held customers at gunpoint, fleeing with $187,519 in cash. Police were able to stop the suspected getaway car and another car believed to be associated with the robbery near the intersection of Lillian Drive and East Virginia Way, and Harris and Rials were taken into custody.

A third car associated with the suspected robbery crew was later stopped on southbound Interstate Highway 15 and Travis, Waiters, Chambers, and Kimbrough were arrested. Police found evidence believed to be associated with both robberies in both vehicles.

Deputy District Attorney Joel Buckingham said that he expects the trial — including testimony from 40 witnesses — to last until late October, although it may go as long as mid-November.

Since the trial could last so long, finding a jury panel is a long process. Buckingham estimated that 800 notices were sent out for the trial, with roughly 500 jurors responding. From the 500, potential jurors were broken up into panels of 100 to narrow down to 20 needed for the trial.

The jury selection process is currently in the hardship exemption stage, where prospective jurors are excused due to family matters or financial loss incurred because their employer may not pay them to sit through a trial that could last over a month.

Buckingham said that getting all five defense attorneys lined up to be in court at the same time is also a challenge, due to their case load.

Jury selection in the trial is set to continue on Tuesday at the Barstow courthouse. Rials, Harris, Chambers, and Kimbrough are being held in the West Valley Detention Center in lieu of bail ranging from $800,000 to $1.5 million. Waiters is being held at the Adelanto Detention Center in lieu of $1 million bail.

If convicted, maximum sentences range from 34 to 60 years in prison.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or adome@desertdispatch.com