FARGO - Attendance was sparse on the sixth day of trial for a man accused of killing a University of North Dakota student.

Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., 53, a convicted sex offender from Crookston, Minn., is charged with kidnapping resulting in the death of Dru Sjodin. He has pleaded not guilty.

A judge and lawyers continue to question potential jurors on their feelings about Rodriguez and capital punishment. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if Rodriguez is convicted.

Only a handful of observers watched Monday when five jury candidates were advanced into the next round, for a total of 23 possible jurors. The interviews are scheduled to continue until the pool reaches 70.

One of the potential jurors approved by U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson was interviewed last week, but Erickson wanted to review her transcripts before making a decision. The woman is scheduled to get married during the trial.

At least three potential jurors interviewed on Monday said they would have difficulty deciding on the death penalty, but two of them were approved into the pool. The other person was rejected after U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley said she had a "visible lump in her throat" when asked if she could sign off on a verdict of death.

"If this is an easy decision then we have the wrong people," Erickson said.

One potential juror was dismissed for financial hardship, although the man said he would be willing to make other arrangements to pay his bills. "I think that's a lot to ask of someone," Erickson said.

Two other jurors were dismissed because of health reasons, including one person who was scheduled to have heart bypass surgery.

Sjodin, 22, of Pequot Lakes, Minn., disappeared from a Grand Forks shopping mall in November 2003. Her body was found the following April in a ravine near Crookston, where Rodriguez lived with his mother.

Jury selection is expected to last at least another two weeks.