8B
Friday, April 7,1995
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Economy shows signs of slowdown
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers applying for jobless benefits climbed last week for the fourth time in five weeks, fresh evidence the economy has cooled from its fiery pace at year's end.
New claims for unemployment insurances rose by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 341,000, the Labor Department said yesterday. Claims had fallen by 10,000 to 338,000 during the weekend of March 25, ending the first three-week string of advances in nearly a year.
"Although tepid growth was reported for the week, claims have fortified their position around the 340,000 level and support a perception of less robust growth in the labor market," economists at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp. in New York said.
Analysis at Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York said that the report was consistent with their view that the economy is slowing from the fourth quarter pace.
The economy was expanding at a 5.1 percent annual rate from October through December, the fastest quarterly pace in a year. Since then, however, various signs of a slowdown have appeared, including a depressed housing market, falling automobile sales and sluggish retail sales.
Shortly after the Labor Department report, many of the nation's major retailers announced disappointing sales in March. Although the weather and a late Easter were in part to blame, businesses said consumers remain cautious shoppers.
Analysts attribute the economic slowdown to seven short-term
interest rate increases engineered by the Federal Reserve over the last 14 months to keep inflation under control.
Still, the Donaldson, Lafkin & Jenrette economists noted that new jobs continued to be created when new jobless claims climbed above the 340,000 trend last year and predicted 230,000 workers had been added to payrolls last month. That would be down from 318,000 in February.
But they expected the unemployment rate to rise to 5.5 percent, from 5.4 percent a month earlier. The Labor Department will report the March employment situation tomorrow.
The four-week moving average of new weekly jobless claims edged up to 342,500 last week, from 341,760 during the period ending March 28.
It was the highest level since 347,750 during the period ending last July 30.
Many analysts prefer to track the less-volatile four-week average because it smooths out the spikes in the weekly reports.
Seventeen states and territories reported gains in claims and 36 registered declines
during the week ending March 25. National figures are reported a week ahead of the state totals.
States reporting the biggest gains were Ohio, 1,570; Arkansas, 1,026; Oregon, 874; California, 806, and Arizona, 428.
States with the largest declines were North Carolina, 3,914; Texas, 2,143; Iowa, 1,248; New York, 1,217; and Michigan, 1,180.
Defense angry about dismissal of 'good juror'
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — O.J. Simpson's lead attorney, angry about the loss of an outspokenly sympathetic juror, suggested yesterday that there was a campaign to remove pro-defense members of the jury that will judge Simpson on murder charges.
The Simpson judge, meanwhile, apparently alarmed by the dismissed juror's comments in a live TV interview about racial tensions and problems among jurors and their guards, ordered an investigation.
Speaking to reporters outside, defense attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. and members of his team said their witnesses had been followed and harassed and suggested that someone was targeting jurors with misconduct allegations to affect the trial's outcome.
"We think that Big Brother is doing more than just watching us on this case," he said. "We are very, very
concerned about what seems to be a concerted effort to go after certain jurors on this case."
He said the defense didn't want a mistrial and, if it became necessary, he would accept a verdict from fewer than 12 jurors.
"We will never agree to a mistrial," he said. "We have a great jury."
Only the defense could seek a mistrial at this point. Any move by prosecutors to end the trial and try Simpson again would place him in double jeopardy, they said.
Simpson has been, in jail since becoming a key suspect in the June
12 murders of his ex-wife and her friend.
District Attorney Gil Garcetti refused to deny his office was spying on and following defense witnesses. "We are seeking the truth, and we're doing it in an ethical, professional and honorable way," he said.
In response to the criticisms of the prosecution case by dismissed juror Jeanette Harris, Garcetti said not all the evidence had been heard and expressed his confidence in the jury system.
Cochran brushed off questions about the issue that led to Harris' dismissal — her failure to reveal a domestic abuse complaint she filed against her husband in 1988. In the heat of spousal strife, he said, many untreth things are said in court documents.
Harris conceded yesterday in an interview with KCAL-TV that she did in fact accuse her husband, Melvin, of abuse, but said she had
forgotten about it.
In a 1988 court document involving a child-custody dispute, Harris said her husband had forcibly made her have sex with him and had physically abused her. She expressed fear in the document that the abuse would get even more violent.
In her Simpson jury questionnaire, Harris said she had never experienced domestic violence. She said yesterday that the dispute was settled and forgotten. The Harrises are still married.
Monday had previously been scheduled as a day off, so the cross-examination of criminalist Dennis Fung will not resume until Tuesday.