ON THE SIDE, STARR WINS MUFFLER CASE.(MAIN)

Byline: Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. -- Kenneth Starr won a $390 million victory for a muffler chain Wednesday, two days after the independent counsel wrangled a confession from President Clinton that he had an inappropriate relationship with a White House intern.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a jury's verdict against Starr's client, Meineke Discount Muffler Shops, in a class-action suit filed by the company's franchise dealers. The lawsuit was returned to a federal judge to give the dealers a chance to pursue a smaller award.

The appeals court agreed with Starr's argument that the …