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CNN Live Event/Special

Chandra Levy's Parents Express Frustration at Lack of Leads and at Conduct of Congressman Condit

Aired July 31, 2001 - 12:24   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We want take you now to Modesto, California. Chandra Levy's parents are speaking now to the press.

QUESTION: The Washington police are saying -- excuse me -- are saying that Mr. Condit is no longer a central figure in their investigation. They also said that they're interest in the polygraph test is waning. Any comment on that?

DR. ROBERT LEVY, CHANDRA'S FATHER: No. I think -- you know, as far as a being central figure, my daughter is the central figure, you know trying to find her. It's just that they have to look at everyone who knows her, who's involved with her. He's certainly the main character for that. But you know, I don't know what they want to do polygraph test. They don't believe the one he took.

QUESTION: Does it frustrate you, Dr. and Mr. Levy, that they're kind of saying that maybe they are not going to push him to get a polygraph test administered by the police?

SUSAN LEVY, CHANDRA'S MOTHER: It's frustrating, but I understand polygraphs are not held up in court anyhow. Just seems more orchestrated originally in a very strange way, because usually, I understand polygraphs are given, whereas six hours of questioning and answers are given to people, and I don't know how long his was.

I really don't care about the polygraph. I just want the truth to come out and I want my daughter home. And someone, as I said, right from the beginning, knows where my daughter is. There's truths out there that haven't been answered, and I'd like those people to come forward.

QUESTION: Tell us more about Chandra. You hear about the case, and the police and the mechanics of it, but a lot of people don't know what kind of young woman she is.

S. LEVY: One thing I could tell you that "The National Inquirer" had a picture of her that they took out of a high school. We were in France. And we were up -- where was it the French Riviera? -- that was really blown out of context. And my daughter is a very private person, and she's -- I would say a bright lady, and she is not a slut, as some people have quoted in news media, and I think she's very much in love with this particular person. And what can I say. R. LEVY: She had expectations like other people in the past have had with him. She's private, very intelligent, loves her family. Just so heartbroken, just keeps going on and on that we don't have her. And we just beg anyone who has information to -- good information, to please call in and not to let the whole thing go away. We don't -- we are not ever going to forget. We want to never forget. We don't want to give up. We know the police and the FBI aren't giving up, but...

QUESTION: People in this country, like you, hope she runs away or comes back.

R. LEVY: Yes, she off in some kind of state, or maybe someone is holding her, is taking care of her and won't let her go.

QUESTION: ... shed some light on that possibility. When she was younger, as a child or as a teenager, did she ever run away from home?

S. LEVY: Never did. Not that kind of person. But we hope that, you know, any way she could be alive and out there, that's what we hope.

QUESTION: Any kind of disagreement in recent years which she could be angry and have run away?

R. LEVY: Not like that.

S. LEVY: She was looking forward to coming home and getting her master's degree ceremony completed, and potentially look for another job, possibly, like I said originally, with the FBI.

R. LEVY: We tried to give her advice on personal life, but she doesn't -- you know, she has her own mind about that.

QUESTION: What kind of advice?

R. LEVY: Well, just to be careful and, you know -- there's a lot of advice.

QUESTION: One thing I read was a baseball fan, Giants. Did she want to be sportscaster?

R. LEVY: Originally. Then she got interested in other areas. She really like the Giants, and the Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians.

S. LEVY: And hockey.

QUESTION: Now talking about advice, did you tell her not to date a guy like this? Is that one of the things you told her before?

R. LEVY: We originally didn't know what kind of guy it was. You know, she sort of kept that hidden until be found out later. But you know, you really did, but you know, girls have their own minds, especially if they are seduced by someone who's older and wiser, and who does it frequently. S. LEVY: Every night I sad, Chandra, when she left to Washington, I said, "Don't you become a Monica Lewinsky." And look at what's happened. It's been...

R. LEVY: It's much, much worse.

S. LEVY: I mean, I warned her. I said, we want you to think about your safety at all times and be selective. But you know, anyone who is a parent and has a child, they start around age 11 or 12 and on up to I don't know how old, 25 or whatever, parents, and children want to spread their wings, and you know, they're gifts of ours and if you -- they are our gift -- gifts, but not ours; they go to the greater universe in a sense. You can always listen to what parents have to say. We taught our children morality. But you know, you can give a child and teach them what you think is correct, right and wrong, but still, they make their choices.

R. LEVY: Or they're confronted by evil. They're just confronted by evil. And whatever you teach them won't help be if evil gets them.

QUESTION: There's a lot of reporting about Reverend Thomas, a lot of confusion about Reverend Thomas. Can you tell us for the record so we know, so we report it correctly, what was the conversation between you and Reverend Thomas? And what do you believe is the truth about it now?

S. LEVY: I have in my living room a whisk (ph) full of tears, and he told me a story, and he told me later that it was all made up, and I still question that, even though the FBI and the newspaper says that it was a lie. But deep down in my heart, I've never seen the man broken up like that when he talked to me.

QUESTION: After he told you that, Doctor and Mrs. Levy, did you told Chandra Levy to be warned of Congressman Condit, because of what he had told you in this house?

R. LEVY: Well originally, that was sometime before April he talked to Sue about that, and that's when she warned Chandra about that.

QUESTION: What did she say to Chandra about it?

S. LEVY: I said just be very careful, there was another lady involved who got very, very hurt, and she didn't tell me who she was involved with. I kind of got it out.

R. LEVY: She admitted it.

S. LEVY: Through my conversation with Mr. Thomas.

R. LEVY: I wasn't aware of it at that time.

S. LEVY: But, because she had asked to keep it private and secret, I didn't say very much. I didn't say anything to my husband that much. I try to honor.

QUESTION: You warned her say please be careful with the congressman here, because you thought he was dating somebody else.

S. LEVY: Well, that she could get hurt, that she could get hurt, and she's be disappointed, that there's a history there, and I don't know if it's accurate or not, but I just told her, and of course she says she talked to -- and that it's taken care of, and in the course later on, we don't know where she is.

And I'm not pointing accusations to anyone, but you figure it out. I have a daughter who is missing. It could be -- it could be a number of scenarios, but like I said, you figure out.

You know that last night Larry King on CNN had a report, and I could really tell you that Paul and Linda only spoke from their heart, because they see what this is all doing to us. And you know how every day that I walk out of here, and it's really hard -- that's all I can say. I have to leave. It's very hard. Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you for coming.

HARRIS: And we've been listening, as you can tell here, to Chandra Levy's parents expressing their frustration at the way this investigation has been coming up empty at every turn. They've also continued to express their frustration with Congressman Condit and his conduct in this particular case.

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