Prosecutors Seek to Keep Trial of Eric Rudolph in Birmingham, AL

[CShine]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Prosecutors on Friday asked a judge to keep the first trial of accused serial bomber Eric Rudolph in Birmingham, disputing claims that media coverage of an abortion clinic bombing made a fair trial impossible.
The government's request was filed ahead of a hearing planned next week on a defense request to move the case outside of north Alabama.

Rudolph is set to stand trial Aug. 2 for a bombing that killed an off-duty policeman and critically wounded a nurse at a Birmingham abortion clinic in 1998. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

His defense argued that years of publicity - stemming from the clinic bombing and Rudolph's capture last year - depicted him as an anti-government zealot. The defense claims its surveys indicate that several potential jurors around Birmingham have been influenced by news coverage and have already decided Rudolph is guilty.


http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBEQZOUMVD.html