On Oct. 27, 2018, 11 worshippers were killed in the deadliest attack against Jewish people on American soil.

Click here for full coverage on the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial

Robert Bowers is accused in the racially-motivated attack on the synagogue in Squirrel Hill and faces 63 counts. The charges include 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death and 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death.

Channel 11 had a sketch artist in the courtroom. Click here for a look inside.

On Monday, nearly five years later, the first phase in the federal death penalty trial for Bowers began at the federal courthouse in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Attorneys for both the defense and the prosecution will begin selecting a jury.

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DAY 5:

More than 80 potential jurors have sat in the seat across from the judge right inside the federal courthouse.

It’s been a grueling and detailed process and it is far from over as nearly a dozen legal members from each side prepare for the trial of Robert Bowers.

It’s unclear when decisions will be made on who will actually sit on the jury as there is a growing pool of eligible jurors who were not dismissed by the defense or the federal government.

DAY 2:

A steady stream of potential jurors appeared before Judge Robert Colville, facing more questions from the defense and prosecution about the death penalty.

With the defendant, Robert Bowers, in the courtroom for the second day of jury selection, one potential juror, a woman, told the court she was struggling.

“Every one of us will get judged at some point so it doesn’t really matter what we do here on Earth. That’s why I’m struggling. My religion teaches forgiveness,” she said.

“It’s not something I would come to easily, but given the circumstances of this case with all the evidence out there, I still lean toward the death penalty,” said another man who worked in a psych ward.

Bowers was wearing a blue sweater Tuesday and as he did on day one, he continued to be engaged in the process, taking notes and occasionally speaking with his attorney.

We asked WPXI Legal Analyst Phil DiLucente about the slow, ongoing process.

“It would seem to me that there are probably a tremendous amount of questions from the jurors as it pertains to the death penalty and so that just take time. So, we can easily see this going into one and a half and two and half weeks of jury selection,” said DiLucente.

Before jury selection began this morning, Judge Colville agreed to strike or dismiss eight of the 15 people questioned on Monday.

He denied a motion to dismiss three who were questioned Monday, and there was no mention of four potential jurors who are likely being considered to serve on the jury.

DiLucente said the judge is closely following the book in this case.

“What you don’t want to have is an appeal and so I think everyone’s being extra cautionary to make sure that it’s smooth and effective from a trial from that perspective,” said DiLucente.

Twelve jurors and six alternates are needed to hear the case. Jury selection may take at least a couple of weeks.

The court sent out 1500 notices to potential jurors and 20 per day are being brought in for questioning.

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DAY 1:

Channel 11′s Rick Earle was the first local reporter in the main courtroom.

Seven prospective jurors were brought in in the first group and they sat down individually.

Bowers sat at a table, occasionally writing comments and speaking with his attorney Michael Navaro.

One of the victims and family members of some of the victims were in the courtroom as the judge and members of the prosecution and defense questioned jurors about their backgrounds, what they know about the synagogue shooting and their thoughts and feelings about the death penalty.

Family members of the victims, along with one of the victims, Dan Leger, sat in the back of the courtroom monitoring the proceedings.

The first day of selections wrapped up just before 5:30 p.m. Monday. In total, seven potential jurors were questioned in the morning and nine were questioned after the lunch break. 11 News is still waiting to see how many potential jurors have been dismissed.

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