Consumer news briefs for March 30, 2004

Tuesday, March 30, 2004 | 11:11 a.m.

Consumer confidence remains steady

NEW YORK -- Consumer confidence, which fell sharply in February, remained relatively steady in March, according to a business research group.

The Conference Board reported today that its consumer confidence index stood at 88.3, down from 88.5 in February. The February figure marked a sharp drop from the revised 97.7 in January.

"While consumers claimed business conditions were more favorable in March than last month, they also claimed jobs were less readily available," said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board's Consumer Research Center in a statement. "The labor market not only continues to dampen consumers' present-day spirits, but it is also making them less optimistic about the short-term outlook."

Mistrial sought

NEW YORK -- Tyco International Ltd.'s former chief financial officer Mark Swartz today asked the presiding judge in his criminal case to declare a mistrial based on criticism in Internet chat rooms about a juror favoring acquittal.

New York Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus denied a similar defense motion Monday based on media coverage about the juror, who was named in some news stories and depicted as giving an OK sign to the defense table in the courtroom.

"It is staggering sir, staggering to understand the venom and the outrageous statements made about that juror" in chat rooms, said Charles Stillman, a lawyer for Swartz, who is on trial with former Tyco Chief Executive L. Dennis Kozlowski on charges of looting the company of $600 million.

Obus interviewed the jury member, Juror No. 4, in his chambers Monday to see if media coverage and critical notes from fellow jurors had made it impossible for her to decide the case in good faith. She said they had not, the judge said.