Omar Khadr greeted jurors Tuesday while dressed in a grey blazer and pink tie -- attire found by his Canadian lawyer Dennis Edney, and a striking change from his white prison clothes.
The 23-year-old Toronto native seemed happy in the new clothes, according to Edney.
"He glowed -- he was allowed to feel human," Edney told reporters. "When we walked into the courtroom, everyone gasped."
Edney found the clothes in a closet on Cuba's Guantanamo Bay, where the trial is being held.
The jury selected Tuesday is made up of 11 men and four women, all from the U.S. military. Judge Col. Patrick Parrish began the selection by instructing the 15 potential jurors on the applicable laws.
"All potential jurors will be questioned by the prosecution and defence," CTV's Daniele Hamamdjian said. "Potential questions will be ‘Have you ever served in the Middle East?' or ‘What are your feelings towards Muslims?' or ‘Was a friend or relative killed in 9/11?'"
The military personnel were told to keep an open mind as to the guilt or innocence of Khadr -- who is accused of killing one of their own.
As few as five jurors are needed on the panel for the trial, and rules for convicting are significantly different than in civilian courts.
In cases involving punishments of more than 10 years, three-quarters of the jury must agree to convict. In cases of less than 10, only two-thirds are needed to convict.
The military personnel are all officers, and were drawn in roughly equal numbers from the Army, Navy and Air Forces branches of the U.S. Military. Each will be educated, with at least a college degree.
"They're looking for better performing officers with some level of maturity and experience in a variety of postings," commission spokesman, Capt. Dave Iglesias, told The Canadian Press.
Khadr is accused of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier in 2002 in Afghanistan, and faces five charges including: murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism and spying.
He was 15 at the time, and severely wounded in the 2002 gunbattle. His defenders have said he is the first child soldier to face prosecution.
Now 23, Khadr was in court Tuesday wearing a suit, instead of his usual prisoner uniform.
Members of the prosecution say they will seek life imprisonment if Khadr is convicted of murder.
Monday, the defence was handed a significant, but expected, blow to their case when Parrish said Khadr's confessions in 2002 and 2003 could be used against him.
The defence argued the confessions were garnered under the threat of gang rape and torture and should be tossed aside.
