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American Morning

Police Widen Search for Chandra Levy

Aired July 12, 2001 - 09:00   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin once again with the widening search for any signs of Chandra Levy.

Here now are the latest developments in the case of the former intern who now has been missing for nearly 11 weeks. Today, investigators are working to identify abandoned buildings in the northwest Washington area. They plan to search some of those buildings. Sources say police have asked three other men besides Congressman Gary Condit to take lie detector tests. And a woman who claims Condit asked her to lie about an alleged affair faces more questions today from federal officials.

Our national correspondent Bob Franken continues to cover the story for us and he is once again in Washington, D.C.

Bob, good morning.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

A knowledgeable FBI source has confirmed for CNN that agents have interviewed Otis Thomas, a Pentecostal Minister who lives in Modesto, California, about an alleged affair with his daughter that Congressman Condit had seven years ago when the daughter was 18 years old. According to "The Washington Post," the Reverend Thomas is also a gardener who works for the Levy family, the parents of Chandra Levy, the 24-year-old Washington intern who has disappeared and is also the subject of what were rumors that the congressman had a romantic relationship with her.

Congressman Condit who is -- lives in this apartment building in northwest Washington. Congressman Condit, of course, through spokesmen, denied for the longest time that there was a romantic relationship, but police sources tell us that that was confirmed in an interview with police on last Friday night.

At any case, as far as the family of the Thomas' are concerned, outside the house in Modesto, California, actually in Ceres, California, is a note that was left by Jennifer Thomas. It says: "I will tell you that I never knew Mrs. Levy's daughter. I never met that congressman who's involved in all this." And she goes on to say, "I don't even know how both me and my father got mixed up in this. We don't know anything so stop calling us and showing up at our door."

Well, of course since the Levy's knew the family involved in this, reporters gathered at the house. And as Mrs. Levy returned home, she was greeted by reporters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN LEVY, CHANDRA'S MOTHER: To be in this situation is surprising enough and shocking enough and I just - it's surreal. That's all I can say. I want my daughter home and I want her alive and I want the truth to come out and that's all I can tell you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, the police and Condit's lawyers are still negotiations over the possibility that Congressman Condit would take a lie detector test. That was one of the things his lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said he would discuss with detectives. Those negotiations are going on. There are some differences but there is still a hope, according to both sides, that something can be worked out.

Another part of the discussions had been the search of the congressman's apartment. That search was pulled off after police were told by the lawyer that there would be no objections; there would be no search warrant used. As we saw overnight last night -- night before last night, I suppose -- the police went in from about 11:30 until 2:30 in the morning.

You can see that they were using very high intensity lights to look at the material that they were finding there, looking for evidence. They actually, we're told by sources, came out with very little -- a couple flecks of what could have been paint or blood, they don't know what, also a few items of clothing. They don't even know if these are important enough to send to the crime lab but investigators are checking it out.

A couple of other things we need to point out. There is going to be another interview today for Anne Marie Smith. She is the flight attendant who also claims a romantic relationship with Congressman Condit. She spent about six to seven hours yesterday with the U.S. attorney here -- is going back today. They're discussing the accusation from her that Congressman Condit wanted her to sign a false affidavit - a false sworn statement saying falsely that she did not have a romantic relationship.

And again, let us never forget, Daryn, that this is about the disappearance of Chandra Levy.

One other thing very important, police are expanding their search. You mentioned this at the beginning of this broadcast. They're going to expand their search to include abandoned buildings now in this area of Washington where both Condit and Levy had their apartments. And they're going to take then their cadaver dogs, so- called because they look for bodies, and see if they can come up with anything. They say that this is just routine. It does not mean that they have any clues that they might have had some indications where Chandra Levy is - Daryn.

KAGAN: Bob, again the question comes up, how good and beneficial could a search like that be this long after Chandra Levy disappeared almost 11 weeks, as we also mentioned?

FRANKEN: Well, the searches of the landfill and the empty buildings, of course if there - if there would be a body there or some evidence, they perhaps would be able to find it. These dogs are quite good. We've seen them in action before.

As for the search for the apartment, the experts will tell you that with today's modern technology and chemistry, it's really almost impossible, even over long periods of time, impossible to hide the evidence that people would be looking for.

KAGAN: Bob Franken in Washington. Bob, thank you, we will talk with you throughout the morning.

Meanwhile, we encourage our viewers to stay with CNN for the latest on the Chandra Levy case. You can also log on to our web site for details on the investigation or on possible political fallout for Congressman Condit and that's a whole other discussion. The address is CNN.com; AOL keyword CNN.

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