OKLAHOMA CITY ? Defense attorneys for bombing conspirator Terry Nichols objected Monday to allowing cameras in or near the courtroom where Nichols will be tried on 161 counts of first-degree murder.

Nichols’ attorneys said he had not given his consent to requests by Court TV and other media outlets to televise Nichols’ trial, scheduled to begin March 1, and to allow cameras in the courtroom would violate his right to a fair trial.

Prosecutors also have asked the presiding judge, District Judge Steven Taylor, to reject the media requests, noting that a similar request to televise Nichols’ preliminary hearing was rejected by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.

Nichols was bound over for trial after the preliminary hearing in May. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Besides Court TV, Oklahoma City television station KOCO and radio station KOMA have sought permission to televise or record the trial. The Oklahoman has asked for permission to photograph the proceedings.

If denied, the media outlets asked that cameras outside the courtroom be permitted to shoot the proceedings through the windows of the courtroom doors.

In legal papers, Nichols’ defense attorneys said “the presence of cameras anywhere in the courthouse” could affect the testimony of witnesses and make it harder to pick a jury.

Prosecutors said they objected to being photographed for security reasons and that many of the state’s witnesses had said they did not want to be photographed.

Taylor is scheduled to convene a hearing on the issue today.