Jury selection in the trial of accused serial bomber Eric Rudolph began on Wednesday in a case that will reopen debate on abortion in the Bible Belt state where a women's clinic was bombed seven years ago. Scores of prospective jurors from across northern Alabama filed into a hotel ballroom to receive questionnaires regarding the 1998 bombing of the New Woman All Women Health Care clinic that killed a police officer and maimed a nurse. Attitudes on abortion rights, the death penalty and the federal government will be key in picking jurors in the Deep South state, which has a large population of Christians who are strongly opposed to abortion. Rudolph also faces the death penalty if convicted. The 38-year-old survivalist and onetime fugitive has pleaded not guilty to the bombing. Wednesday's venue was unusual because a corporate fraud case was underway at the federal courthouse, a court official said. Rudolph, who has been in jail since May 2003, was allowed to skip the opening session of the process that is expected to take longer than normal. --more 2308 Local Time 2008 GMT
