ATLANTA (AP) -- The man accused of a courthouse rampage that left
four people dead in Atlanta in 2005 has pleaded not guilty by
reason of insanity.
Brian Nichols' own lawyers acknowledge he killed a judge, a
court reporter and a sheriff's deputy at the Fulton County
Courthouse and later that day killed a federal agent. But they say,
at the time, he could not tell right from wrong.
Jury selection has begun in the same courthouse where the
shootings happened and legal experts say it could take weeks to
find 18 impartial jurors. Eleven of 16 prospective jurors raised
their hands yesterday when asked if they've already formed an
opinion in the high profile case.
The judge plans to move the trial but hasn't said yet where.
Adding to the drama are Nichols' legal bills, which are
approaching two million dollars. Georgia lawmakers are threatening
to cut the funding.