They see themselves as part of the American tradition of zealous prosecutors.

This included a zealous Republican prosecutor, a dozen other investigatory authorities and the city's major newspapers, he said.

Democrats have said he was too zealous a prosecutor .

He added that he found it "exceedingly strange" to hear this argument from Giuliani, who had been a zealous prosecutor.

Mr. Wright said, adding that even when he resigned he also warned of overreaching by zealous special prosecutors.

The law was deemed to vague and it was misused by over zealous prosecutors.

Altogether, what we see in these events is the picture of an exceptionally zealous prosecutor.

It may also stir some disquiet over the power of a zealous prosecutor to make a big deal out of small matters.

But if the verdict yesterday is any indication, Miller poses hurdles that zealous prosecutors are hard-pressed to overcome.

But many lawyers believe they happen more often than people realize, because of indifferent defense attorneys as much as zealous prosecutors.