THE 12 US jurors who will decide the fate of accused Melbourne bank robber Corey Donaldson have been asked if they have any “anger or negative feelings” towards Australians. On the opening day of Donaldson’s trial in the former wild west city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, US District Judge Alan B. Johnson, federal prosecutor Todd Shugart and 39-year-old Donaldson, who is representing himself, took almost four hours to weed through the large pool of Wyoming residents who will act as jurors.
Donaldson, a self-help guru who was dubbed “Robin Hood” by the US media after he claimed in press releases written from jail he took $US140,700 ($A136,635) from a US Bank branch to give to America’s desperately poor, was confident as he addressed the potential jurors.
“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,” Donaldson, 39, dressed in a dark pin-striped suit and pink tie, said.
“My name is Corey Donaldson and my accent is from Melbourne, Australia.”
Donaldson is accused of using “intimidation” to commit a bizarre robbery of a US Bank branch in the ski resort town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on New Year’s Eve.
It’s alleged Donaldson, referring to himself as an international investor named “Charlie”, set up a meeting with the bank’s manager.
Donaldson told the bank manager he was robbed in Mexico and after the robbery four Vietnam veterans linked to a drug cartel approached him and said they would help him find the robbers, authorities allege.
Donaldson allegedly said the Vietnam vets then took him up in a helicopter with two unknown males, asked one of the males about the theft and when he refused to answer, tied a rope around the man, lowered him out the helicopter and “dragged him until the only thing left was a bloody rope”.
According to the indictment against Donaldson, when the bank manager reached for an alarm button under his desk, Donaldson warned members of a drug cartel had placed “four military grade explosives” outside the bank and if he did not comply with their demands there “will be blood and carnage” and the manager would be “hunted down and killed”.
Donaldson, who has lived in the US for almost 20 years and has written self-help books published by a subsidiary of Random House, was arrested on January 23 in Utah and, according to authorities, only $US16,000 of the $US140,700 was recovered.
Donaldson allegedly told authorities he gave the cash to the homeless and charities.
While selecting the nine woman, three man jury, with two female alternates, the potential candidates were asked about their feelings towards banks and Australians, and if they knew any Australians.
“Does anyone have any anger or negative feelings against people who come from Australia or the continent of Australia?” Judge Johnson asked.
Each juror replied they did not have bad feelings towards Australians or Australia.
A female juror told the court she had visited Melbourne and a male juror said he had a brother in Townsville.
“I have a lady I work with from New Zealand,” another female juror replied.
“Do you get along well with her?” the judge asked.
“We get along fine,” she replied.
The trial is expected to last a week.