Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
The Search for Chandra: FBI Changes Strategy
Aired July 19, 2001 - 07:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: The FBI switches its focus in the Chandra Levy investigation.
And CNN's national correspondent Bob Franken joins us now from Washington with the very latest developments in this case -- good morning, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Colleen.
And, of course, part of that is because they have not really been successful. Of course, they have not found about the whereabouts of Chandra Levy. And so now they've decided it was time to reevaluate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Sources tell CNN that the FBI has moved its part of the probe into the disappearance of Chandra Levy from its Washington office that deals with the immediate investigations to a unit that specializes in cases that may take a long time to solve.
That unit is expected to take a fresh look at a case that has produced few clues to date. The transfer occurs more than 11 weeks after the 24-year-old former intern disappeared, and after a frenzy of news coverage, fueled by Congressman Gary Condit's relationship with Levy.
The investigation is still led by the Washington metropolitan police, which continues to fan out in an intensive search through parks around Washington.
It was a computer site visited by Chandra Levy that led authorities to Rock Creek Park near her apartment. After three days of searching here and in three other wooded areas around Washington, investigators are no closer to finding her. But they plan to continue for at least another two weeks.
Sites connected to the Rock Creek Park area were just among those Levy visited on May 1, the day after she was last seen. Investigators say she also logged onto travel sites, including Amtrak and Southwest Airlines, and newspapers including "The Washington Post", "Washington City Paper", and "Modesto Bee."
On Capitol Hill, cameras once again followed Congressman Condit's every move, as he attended a second day of Agriculture Committee meetings. But the media crush has nearly overwhelmed Condit since his return to work may have crossed the line.
QUESTION: Is this strategy going to hold for you?
FRANKEN: A rule rarely enforced by police bars camera crews from moving while they shoot in and around the Capitol. In an effort to restrict access to their boss, Condit's staff wants the regulation enforced. And the organization that governs TV coverage of the House of Representatives is expected to decide by week's end.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: Now, as for the switch within the FBI, which is the second agency that's involved in this investigation, that switch could be considered bad news for all involved, because it seems to be a decision on the part of the FBI that this investigation could take quite a while -- Colleen.
MCEDWARDS: And that's got to be difficult news for the Levys.
Bob, just stand by there because we did hear from the Levys on the other side of the country, last night. And I want people to have a look at that. Let's hear it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT LEVY, FATHER OF CHANDRA LEVY: Other people and other families have gone through that. And, you know, their stories are going to be out there.
SUSAN LEVY, MOTHER OF CHANDRA LEVY: They're all the same, too. They're tortured stories. And...
R. LEVY: There's so many of them.
S. LEVY: And there's too many missing people in the United States. And they're all important people. And we have a society that needs to be changed. And this has to be addressed. This has to be addressed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCEDWARDS: I guess sadly, Bob, this is fairly typical for these kinds of cases. I mean, we keep hearing from law enforcement that, if a missing person isn't found quickly, the odds just diminish.
FRANKEN: Well, they do that. But the investigation here is really conducted with two scenarios. There's the pessimistic scenario, the one which has police searching for a body, quite frankly. But there's also an optimistic one. You'll recall that they put out some pictures of Chandra Levy as she might look if she was in disguise and hiding somewhere.
So they're operating on two tracks and just hoping for the best.
MCEDWARDS: Understood.
CNN's Bob Franken, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
