Jury selection in the Donald Rolle capital murder trial began Monday with lawyers from both sides questioning a panel of 39 prospective jurors.

Attorneys spent the morning asking preliminary questions to the entire group. In the afternoon, prospective jurors were interviewed individually on topics including the death penalty and pretrial publicity.

Those individual interviews took place in a closed Natrona County District courtroom. The group questioning, however, was open to the public.

Rolle, 47, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jennifer Randel, a 40-year-old Casper woman whose body was found Nov. 4 in a rural, hilly area west of Casper. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

It's the first capital case in Natrona County since 2004.

Rolle, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, quietly watched the jury selection from a chair at the defense table. Although he had the option of wearing street clothes, he appeared in court wearing an orange jail uniform.

Outside of the panel's presence, District Judge Thomas Sullins told Rolle the proceedings could be delayed if he wanted to change his clothing. Rolle turned down the offer.

After introductions by Sullins, the jury selection process - called voir dire, after a French and Latin term meaning "to speak the truth" - began in earnest.

Natrona Count District Attorney Michael Blonigen went first and quizzed the panel on topics ranging from circumstantial evidence to graphic photographs.

He also asked the jurors whether any of them had concerns about passing judgment on others.

Only one person, a middle-aged man, replied that he did. He explained that he felt conflicted, because he also saw the need to protect the innocent.

Rolle's lead attorney, public defender Vaughn Neubauer, addressed the panel next. At one point, he quizzed prospective jurors on whether they expected a defendant to testify during his own trial.

A few jurors said if they were accused of crimes, they would want to testify on their own behalf. However, all but one said they wouldn't hold it against a defendant if he chose not to testify.

During the morning session, Sullins released four people from the panel for medical, economic and other hardships. One man, an attorney, was let go because he had a trial of his own to participate in. Another woman was excused because of her job as a personal nanny.

The jury selection process resumes today with a separate panel of prospective jurors. The selection process could take up much, if not all, of this week.

Once the jury is chosen - 12 jurors and three alternates are needed - the remainder of the trial should last two to three weeks.

Jurors will be allowed to go home at night during the first phase of the trial. However, the jury would be sequestered if a separate sentencing phase is necessary.

Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.

Trial tracker

Last we knew: A judge ruled on final motions in preparation for the Donald Rolle capital murder trial.

The latest: The trial began Monday with jury selection. Attorneys questioned 39 prospective jurors as a group and individually.

What's next: Jury selection continues this morning with another panel of jurors. The process could take the entire week.

On the Net

Visit www.trib.com/randel for daily updates on the Donald Rolle murder trial and more information on the Jennifer Randel case.