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| S P E C I A L | The Unabomb Trial |
Five added to jury pool in Kaczynski trial
December 1, 1997
Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT)SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Two men and three women were added to the pool of potential jurors Monday as the fourth week of jury selection began in the trial of alleged Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski.
U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell has said he would choose at least 64 potential jurors from which 12 jurors and six alternates will be selected. The total is now at 54.
A woman in her 30s was asked by the judge if there was any reason that she should not be considered for jury selection.
"Unfortunately, no," she said, adding that she thinks Kaczynski is the "man responsible for the mail bombings."
But when the judge asked whether she was a proponent or opponent of the death penalty she said, "Both."
"I don't like the death penalty, it's ineffective, it's not used," she said. "If it is used, it would be better."
A white-bearded man in his mid-50s was questioned by both the defense and prosecution after saying he had reservations about sentencing someone to death.
The man said his work against abortion had solidified his anti-death penalty views.
Defense attorney Judy Clarke managed to salvage the man's acceptability after he said that he could listen to both sides and make a fair judgment.
The other potential jurors said that they could vote for the death penalty but each said they believed extenuating circumstances would be crucial factors in such a decision.
Kaczynski is charged in the mail-bombing deaths of two men and the maiming of two others. If convicted in the last of the bombings -- the only one to occur after the federal death penalty was reinstated -- he could face execution.
Kaczynski, who had been absent from last week's final session after reacting negatively to discussions of his mental state, returned to court Monday. He sat silent and motionless as the day began, but later chatted amiably with his lawyers and took notes during jury questioning.
In a related development, the defense was making arrangements Monday evening to move Kaczynski's cabin to Sacramento in its entirety. Defense lawyers want to use the dark, cramped shack to give jurors insight into their client's mind.
Officials at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana said the cabin was to be loaded on a flatbed truck Tuesday morning and trucked to Sacramento. It was not immediately clear when the 10-foot-by-12-foot cabin would arrive.
Prosecution spokeswoman Leesa Brown confirmed that the government had released the cabin to the defense.
Related stories:
- Mental state decision awaited in Unabomb trial - December 1, 1997
- Kaczynski takes day off from jury selection - November 26, 1997
- Kaczynski loses his temper during hearing - November 25, 1997
- Potential juror to Kaczynski: 'Is that what you've done?' - November 24, 1997
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