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CNN Live Event/Special

Lawyers Seeking Legal Action Against Gary Condit

Aired August 27, 2001 - 13:30   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.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With this situation. We personally interviewed them, as I have interviewed hundreds of victims over the years. Mr. Robinson is also a witness.

We have filled out a form for both the grand jury and the district attorney of Stanislaus County, that -- indicating that we believe that Gary Condit, Don Thornton and Mike Lynch ought to be indicted for obstruction and justice and for conspiracy to suborn and perjury.

And we have included in the package that's been passed out this morning a copy of the affidavit, and the declaration of both Mr. Robinson and Anne Marie Smith. And we believe that that ought to be served here in Modesto. The venue is proper. Mike Lynch made a call from here that initiated this entire episode, from here to Anne Marie Smith.

The venue could also lie in several other counties, and if the district attorney and the grand jury here do not respond, then we have other sources to go to including the attorney general.

So with that, if I -- if you have a few questions, perhaps Jim and I could answer those.

QUESTION: What does the district attorney say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am sorry?

QUESTION: Have you talked to the district attorney?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. We intend to right after this.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) how soon would you get an answer or a response?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no set answer. We, of course, are going to ask and probably within a week both correspond with the grand jury and the district attorney's office for their response. There's no time limit it on this, and so it's very clear what we are doing, we are requesting the grand jury or the district attorney to conduct an investigation. And we believe we have the evidence right at hand, right here, that is sufficient to indict them.

But if they feel that -- and there is certainly, certainly more that should be done: Search warrants, telephone records will bolster the case. But after 32 years of experience, it is the case that I would be very comfortable as a district attorney pursue it.

QUESTION: Can you elaborate on how Mr. Lynch initiated this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He initiated a call to Anne Marie Smith, asking that she call Mr. Thornton of Gary Condit's attorneys, and she did. Ultimately, Jim Robinson here was contacted by Anne Marie Smith, and he then contacted Thornton. Thornton had some conversations with him. And then ultimately sent him by e-mail the affidavit, which Mr. Robinson said couldn't ever sign that. It's false, it's perjures, and Anne Marie also agreed.

And several times after that Gary Condit called Anne Marie on the telephone, trying to get her to sign that affidavit, that false affidavit.

QUESTION: Mr. Robinson, Mr. Condit said, too, that he's not had an affair with Anne Marie Smith. Are you filing a civil lawsuit in regards to that as well?

JAMES ROBINSON, ATTORNEY: No, we are not filing any civilous lawsuit today at all.

QUESTION: What about in the future?

ROBINSON: We have a three-year statute of limitations on that, and we'll deal with that as we see fit.

QUESTION: Does this open the door for the civil lawsuit, by getting all the information for it?

ROBINSON: No, we could have done a civil lawsuit separately, in lieu of this, or not done this. We've decided the most important thing is the criminal investigation. We believe that this is the jurisdiction of interest. That's why you are all here.

Chandra Levy is a resident of this county, she's missing. This all goes to that...

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: We interrupt to bring you back to the plane outside of Fort Worth, Texas.

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