IN A courtroom protected by barricades and armed guards, Oklahoma City bombing defendant, Mr Timothy McVeigh, gazed intently at potential jurors who revealed strong emotions and willingness to recommend execution for the deadliest terrorist attack ever on US soil.
Mr McVeigh, with a short haircut, an open-collared blue shirt and khaki trousers, smiled and shook his lawyer's hand as he was brought into the courtroom from a basement holding cell for the start of jury selection.
He nodded and mouthed "Good morning" through a grin when the judge introduced him to potential jurors. But during detailed and excruciatingly slow questioning, Mr McVeigh's stare tightened as prospective jurors discussed how they could recommend execution if he is convicted of the blasts on April 19th, 1995, that killed 168 people and injured hundreds more.
"It's hard to place yourself in the role of deciding the fate of another human being on these terms," said a middle-aged man identified only as number 858. "Yet there has to be some ultimate price to pay."
The self-employed financial adviser said he has not formed an opinion about Mr McVeigh but believes there may be other suspects "who have not been arrested.
"There are elements, potentially people out there that are ancillary to this case, that might want to make their strength and presence felt," he said.
The man, a former resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, said he visited the site of the bombing before the building was demolished, feeling "I guess all the things a normal human being would feel. I think I cried a little."
The second prospective juror questioned, a churchgoing grandmother in her 60s, said she too cried and prayed for the victims as she watched television coverage of the bombing. Her dominant memory of Mr McVeigh was the footage of him in an orange jail jumpsuit being led out of a county jail in Oklahoma.
"I felt very sorry for him," she said. "For such a young man to waste his life."
Mr McVeigh's lawyer, Mr Stephen Jones, then asked: "You didn't feel sorry because they arrested the wrong man?"
"I didn't know," she said.
All but one of the six jury prospects who were questioned said they would be willing to recommend the death penalty.
The only dissenter was a union pipe fitter who said that only God, not the justice system, can stand in judgment. The man wrote on his questionnaire: "I don't like your court."
Some prospects expressed reluctance to serve on the trial, which could last several months. One woman said she had been in hospital for nervous breakdowns and was unsure whether she could emotionally weather the trial.
It could take several weeks for lawyers to choose 12 jurors and six alternates from a pool of hundreds.