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Stephenville, TX(Photo: WFAA)
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Despite concern about excess publicity, 151 potential jurors remain in the pool for the capital murder trial of Eddie Ray Routh, accused killer of famed Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield.
Erath court officials say the first day of jury selection went smoothly Thursday.
Roughly 40 people were disqualified or dismissed by the judge. One man was dismissed after telling Judge Jason Cashon that he was a Vietnam veteran being treated for PTSD.
Routh appeared in court, clean-cut and wearing a suitcoat. He looked and acted engaged.
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Officials say one journalist may be banned from court after allegedly violating the judge's order against interviewing potential jurors.
Security was tight, but Erath County officials said they were confident the small town could handle such a big trial with intense media scrutiny. Stephenville calls itself the "cowboy capital of the world."
"We can boast more professional cowboys and cowgirls per square foot than anywhere else in the world," said Chamber of Commerce president July Danley.
A sign proclaiming Stephenville as the "Cowboy capital"<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: WFAA)
She came to Stephenville to rodeo at Tarleton State University 18 years ago, and just hung on like a bronc rider — because of the people, she said.
"I truly believe we raise more dollars per capita than anywhere for causes that help the fellow man," Danley said.
Stephenville is also known for dairy. A fiberglass cow named Moola stands on a pole in front of the courthouse.
Erath was the No. 3 county dairy producer in Texas in December, producing 88 million pounds of milk.
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Stephenville is nationally known for football. The Yellow Jackets have won four state titles and come close several more times. Baylor Coach Art Briles made his mark here.
But if you ask residents what means the most to them, time and again you get the same response: generosity.
"People come around. If they're sick, hungry, they're fed and prayed for," said Don Morris. He was selling leather bull rider gloves to young men at the Grand Entry western store.
Chris Kyle caps are on sale at a store in Stephenville.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: WFAA)
Former pro rider Chick Elms echoed the sentiment as he leaned behind the counter. On the wall nearby was a framed photo of Chick's son in Afghanistan. His purple heart and other medals flanked the photo. His son walked past, with a long jagged scar showing beneath his sleeve like a lightning bolt.
The sign in front of the store advertised "Chris Kyle" hats for sale. Morris said he thinks Eddie Routh can get a fair trial.
"That's the American way," Morris said. "He's entitled to that."
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This is the community where young mom Brandi Todd was stabbed and paralyzed by a mentally ill man, and the town rebuilt her house while she was in the hospital. For that, Diane Sawyer profiled them on the ABC evening news.
"If more people helped their neighbors like we do, the world will be a better place," July Danley said.
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Kyle, who is credited by the military with more confirmed kills over four tours in Iraq than any marksman in American history, wrote a best-selling account of his experiences, American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. It has been made into an Academy Award-nominated film starring Bradley Cooper.
After he left the Navy, Kyle wrote his memoir not just as a warrior but as a husband to wife Taya Kyle and the father of a growing family. Passages of the book were written by his wife.
Kyle and his family didn't live in Stephenville at the time of the shooting, but perhaps it's appropriate that the trial will be held here. Kyle and Chad Littlefield died trying to help Routh, a troubled veteran they took to a gun range that just happened to be in Erath County.
The real Chris Kyle at home in Texas.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Paul Moseley, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram via AP)
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