"Public interest" or "In the public interest"?

Regarding the Kozlowski trial -

From the New York Post: (excerpts, emphasis added)

KOZ MAKES A GREAT ESCAPE

The judge in the Tyco embezzlement trial declared a mistrial ... after juror No. 4 ... received an insulting letter postmarked in Massachusetts, according to police sources.

In declaring the mistrial, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus would say only that one juror's recent media notoriety had led to "efforts to pressure the jury from the outside."   Jordan, 79, became the focus of media coverage last week ...

The clearly angry judge placed all details of Juror No. 4's letter under seal, and blamed the press for "widely disseminating" the name and background of a juror "in violation of the convention that is normally observed, and wisely observed."   Revealing Jordan's name sets a precedent that could have a damaging impact on future jury selection, he complained.

Jordan's name was first revealed publicly by the Wall Street Journal, in its online edition story about the impasse in deliberations and bizarre "OK" gesture.   The Post then printed Jordan's name in a front-page story the next day, last Saturday.

"We stand by our reporting on this trial," said Col Allan, editor in chief of The Post. "By her extraordinary behavior - signaling her thoughts to the defendant - the juror created public interest in her identity."

posted by Quiddity at 4/03/2004 04:36:00 AM