[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
**
[ BEEP ]
[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]
[ BEEP ]
IMPORTANT, NEW QUESTIONS IN THE CASE OF CHANDRA LEVY,
THE MISSING WASHINGTON, D.C. INTERN.
Narrator: IT'S ONE OF THE MOST CHILLING POLITICAL THRILLERS
IN RECENT HISTORY.
THIS CASE IS "HOUSE OF CARDS" ON STEROIDS.
Dimond: A YOUNG, STARRY-EYED INTERN
RUNS INTO HER OWN CONGRESSMAN,
STARTS TO HAVE AN ILLICIT AFFAIR WITH HIM.
Narrator: 24-YEAR-OLD INTERN CHANDRA LEVY VANISHES
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
WHAT THEY FIND IS A HORNET'S NEST OF INTRIGUE.
Narrator: IN THIS THREE-PART SPECIAL,
WE GIVE YOU AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK
INSIDE THIS AGONIZING INVESTIGATION.
THE WHOLE TIME, WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT SHE'D BE FOUND ALIVE.
IT WAS SCARY AS HELL.
McCann: HE SAID, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH.
THESE PEOPLE WILL KILL ME.
I CAN'T GET INVOLVED."
Narrator: HEAR FROM THE VOICES
AT THE CENTER OF THIS MEDIA SENSATION...
I WAS, LITERALLY, PULLING TEETH.
I COULD NOT GET HIM TO OPEN UP.
YOU COULD WATERBOARD HIM ALL DAY LONG,
AND HE WOULD NEVER ADMIT IT.
Narrator: ...SPEAK WITH THE MAN
WHO WAS CHARGED FOR THIS BRUTAL CRIME...
...AND DELVE INTO NEW THEORIES ON THE MURDER.
I'M SATISFIED THAT I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
**
Alexander: THIS, TRULY, WAS THE CRAZIEST CASE
EVER TO HIT WASHINGTON, D.C.
Dimond: WHO KILLED CHANDRA LEVY?
Doyle: THE STORY GOES FROM ZERO TO 60 VERY QUICKLY.
Dimond: WHY IS A 53-YEAR-OLD CONGRESSMAN
CALLING A YOUNG INTERN?
Chung: DID YOU KILL CHANDRA LEVY?
I DID NOT.
Grimm: THEY SIMPLY FOUND BONES IN A PARK
ALMOST A YEAR AFTER.
Alexander: THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES.
THERE WAS NO MURDER WEAPON.
Dimond: THEY, FINALLY, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER,
AND IT POINTED TO ONE MAN --
INGMAR GUANDIQUE.
Grimm: MR. MORALES WAS A JAILHOUSE SNITCH, A RAT.
Velez-Mitchell: THIS CASE THAT TOOK SO MANY YEARS TO BUILD
HAS COLLAPSED OVERNIGHT.
**
Susan: IT'S THE WORST THING A MOTHER COULD EVER FACE.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Dimond: IT'S MAY 6, 2001,
AND IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA,
SUSAN AND DR. ROBERT LEVY ARE BESIDE THEMSELVES.
THEY HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEIR DAUGHTER, CHANDRA, FOR DAYS.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I'M SUSAN LEVY.
I'M BOB LEVY.
Robert: WE CALLED HER UP, AND SHE DIDN'T ANSWER HER PHONE,
GOT A MESSAGING MACHINE, AND I KEPT CALLING AND CALLING,
AND SHE NEVER ANSWERED, AND I GOT WORRIED ABOUT IT.
Susan: HE GOT VERY UPSET,
AND HE SAID HE FELT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
Narrator: THE 24-YEAR-OLD CHANDRA HAS
SPENT THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
WORKING AS AN INTERN, BUT IN JUST A FEW DAYS,
HER PARENTS EXPECT HER TO RETURN HOME TO GRADUATE
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE.
WHEN THEY DON'T HEAR FROM HER FOR FIVE OR SIX DAYS,
THEY BECOME CONCERNED.
THEY CALLED, NO RESPONSE FROM THE E-MAIL,
AND THEY GET INCREASINGLY FRETFUL.
Narrator: ALARMED BY CHANDRA'S SILENCE,
THE LEVYS ALERT THE POLICE IN WASHINGTON.
I'M RONALD MONROE.
I'M A RETIRED ASSISTANT-CHIEF OF POLICE
WITH THE METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
AT THE TIME THAT CHANDRA LEVY WAS REPORTED AS MISSING,
THE NUMBER OF MISSING PERSONS IN THE DISTRICT
PROBABLY EXCEEDED 200 TO 300 A MONTH.
WHEN THE PARENTS CALLED, WE SENT AN OFFICER TO JUST CHECK
ON THE WELFARE OF THE PERSON.
Narrator: A PATROLMAN HEADS
TO THE VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD OF DUPONT CIRCLE,
WHERE CHANDRA HAD BEEN SUBLETTING A SMALL APARTMENT.
Dimond: THEY FOUND SUITCASES HALF PACKED.
SOME OF HER CLOTHES WERE STILL HANGING.
THEY FOUND DIRTY DISHES IN THE SINK,
NO FOUL PLAY, NO FORCED ENTRY.
**
Doyle: NOTHING SEEMS TO BE AMISS.
SHE'S BEEN INHABITING THE APARTMENT,
BUT NO INDICATION OF WHERE SHE MIGHT HAVE GONE.
THE POLICE WENT TO HER ROOM AND FOUND EVERYTHING THERE,
YOU KNOW, NOTHING, AND THEY DIDN'T FIND HER ANYWHERE.
Monroe: THE LEVYS HAD TOLD US
THAT CHANDRA WAS VERY RESPONSIBLE,
AND THAT REALLY MADE IT DIFFICULT
TO UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WOULD NOT RETURN
FOR HER GRADUATION.
Susan: SHE HAD GOT HONORS.
SHE WAS TOP IN HER CLASS.
THAT WOULD BE EXCITING FOR HER.
Doyle: CHANDRA WAS RAISED IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA.
IT WAS A CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY.
HER FATHER, DR. ROBERT LEVY, IS AN ONCOLOGIST,
EXTREMELY WELL-REGARDED IN THE MODESTO COMMUNITY.
HER MOTHER, SUSAN, WAS MORE OF A FREE SPIRIT.
SHE LOVES HORSES, ART, PAINTING, DANCING.
Narrator: CHANDRA HAS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH HER YOUNGER BROTHER, ADAM.
Susan: FAVORITE MEMORIES WERE WHEN WE TRAVEL
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE WERE CLOSEST AS A FAMILY.
WHEN WE WOULD DRIVE FROM SAN FRANCISCO BACK,
THEY WOULD SAY THE WHOLE "STAR WAR" TRILOGY BY HEART,
THE DIALOGUE FOR ALL THREE MOVIES.
Robert: CHANDRA WAS REALLY HEADSTRONG.
WE WENT ON TRIPS.
SOMETIMES, SHE'D JUST WALK AWAY FROM US
BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH HER PARENTS AND KID BROTHER.
CHANDRA WAS REALLY INTO JUSTICE AND POLICING,
AND SHE WAS A POLICE EXPLORER.
Susan: IN HIGH SCHOOL, SHE ACTUALLY GOT TO WORK
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
AND SHE DID PARKING TICKETS.
SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF THE JOB, AND SHE WAS GOOD AT IT.
Doyle: SHE ALWAYS HAD THE DRIVE.
SHE HAD SET HER EYES
WELL BEYOND THE CITY THAT SHE WAS RAISED IN.
**
Narrator: IN THE YEAR 2000,
WHILE WORKING TOWARDS A MASTER'S DEGREE,
CHANDRA SECURED A COVETED INTERNSHIP
AT THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS.
SHE BECAME VERY EXCITED TO GET THIS INTERNSHIP.
IT SEEMED A PERFECT FIT FOR HER LONG-TERM GOALS,
FOR HER CAREER.
SHE TALKED ABOUT BEING AN FBI AGENT
OR WORKING IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNITY.
Dimond: SHE WAS IN THE PRIME OF LIFE.
SHE HAD EVERYTHING GOING FOR HER...
AND THEN SHE DISAPPEARED.
NARRATOR: FIVE DAYS AFTER
THE LEVYS REPORTED CHANDRA MISSING,
THE POLICE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
**
I'M JIM TRAINUM.
I'M A RETIRED DETECTIVE
WITH THE METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT SHE PROBABLY WAS ONLY LEAVING
FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,
BUT THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO GO ON.
DID SHE JUST DROP OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH VOLUNTARILY?
IS SHE MISSING UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES
BUT STILL ALIVE?
COULD SHE HAVE BEEN THE VICTIM OF FOUL PLAY?
ALL OF THESE ARE POSSIBILITIES THAT YOU HAVE TO EXPLORE.
**
Dimond: BACK IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA,
CHANDRA'S PARENTS ARE GETTING DESPERATE.
THEY START LOOKING FOR CLUES.
DR. LEVY AND SUSAN LEVY ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN
TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA OF WHERE SHE MIGHT BE,
AND SO THEY LOOK AT HER CELL PHONE BILL.
Dimond: HER PARENTS NOTICE ON THE PHONE BILL THAT
CHANDRA LEVY HAS CALLED ONE NUMBER IN D.C.
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SUSAN LEVY DECIDES SHE'S GONNA TAKE SOME ACTION.
SHE CALLS THIS NUMBER.
Narrator: SUSAN REACHES AN ANSWERING MACHINE,
AND THE OUTGOING MESSAGE STUNS HER.
Dimond: THAT'S THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT.
THIS IS A NAME THAT SUSAN LEVY IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZES
BECAUSE THIS IS THE CONGRESSMAN
WHO REPRESENTS THEIR HOMETOWN OF MODESTO, CALIFORNIA.
Man: GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR 2 MINUTES.
IT IS A TREMENDOUS COST TO THE COMMITTEE
AND TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTRY,
AND THEY'RE CONFUSED WHY WE CAN'T WORK TOGETHER.
Mooney: GARY CONDIT WAS WELL RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A DEMOCRAT IN A LARGELY REPUBLICAN AREA,
HE NEVER HAD TROUBLE WINNING AN ELECTION.
HE WAS A GOOD-LOOKING GUY, A CHARMER,
SOMEONE WHO KNEW HOW TO PLAY THE POLITICAL GAME VERY WELL.
THERE WAS EVEN TALK ABOUT HIM BECOMING
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
**
Doyle: CONGRESSMAN CONDIT MARRIED
HIS HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEART, CAROLYN.
THEY HAD TWO KIDS.
HE IS THE SON OF A BAPTIST MINISTER,
AND HE HIMSELF ATTENDS BIBLE STUDY WITH HIS COLLEAGUES.
HE'S APPROPRIATELY BAPTIST FOR HIS RURAL DISTRICT.
Dimond: WHEN SUSAN LEVY REALIZES THE CONGRESSMAN'S NUMBER
IS ALL OVER THEIR DAUGHTER'S PHONE BILL,
SHE WONDERS, WHY IS HER DAUGHTER CALLING HIM
OVER AND OVER AGAIN?
SO, ROBERT DECIDES HE'S GOT TO CALL THIS CONGRESSMAN.
THEY PULL OUT THEIR PHONE BOOK.
THEY LOOK IN THERE,
AND THEY FIND THE HOME PHONE FOR GARY CONDIT.
THEY CALL IT, AND FORTUITOUSLY,
GARY CONDIT IS HOME.
WHEN ROBERT LEVY GETS
THE CONGRESSMAN ON THE TELEPHONE,
HE ANNOUNCES THAT HE IS THE FATHER OF CHANDRA LEVY,
AN INTERN THERE IN WASHINGTON,
THAT SHE IS MISSING,
AND IN EMOTIONAL TONES,
"DO YOU KNOW WHERE MY DAUGHTER IS?
DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HER AT ALL?"
HE TELLS ROBERT LEVY, "I KNOW YOUR DAUGHTER.
SHE'S A LOVELY PERSON, BUT I DON'T HAVE
ANY INFORMATION FOR YOU, PERIOD."
**
DESPITE HIS DENIALS, THE LEVYS REMAIN
INCREDIBLY SUSPICIOUS OF GARY CONDIT,
AND, INDEED, INFORM LAW ENFORCEMENT
OF THIS CONNECTION.
Narrator: POLICE NOW HAVE AN UNLIKELY LEAD --
A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THEY QUICKLY DISCOVER THAT HIS D.C. CONDO IS JUST
MINUTES AWAY FROM CHANDRA'S RENTAL.
SO CONGRESSMAN CONDIT
IS THE SUBJECT OF GREAT INTEREST TO POLICE.
A POLICE DETECTIVE AND A SERGEANT
GO TO THE CONGRESSMAN'S CONDOMINIUM,
AND THEY INTERVIEW HIM.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CHANDRA LEVY?"
CONDIT TOLD THESE POLICE OFFICERS
THAT HE HAD, INDEED, MET CHANDRA LEVY,
THAT SHE AND A FRIEND HAD COME TO HIS OFFICE,
AND BECAUSE SHE WAS A CONSTITUENT,
HE SAID, HE SHOWED HER AROUND.
HE TOOK HER ON A TOUR OF PARTS OF THE CAPITOL.
CONDIT ALSO TOLD POLICE
THAT HE HAD BECOME A SORT OF MENTOR FOR CHANDRA
AND THAT SHE HAD COME TO HIM,
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, FOR CAREER ADVICE,
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, HE TOLD THEM,
HE JUST HAD NO INFORMATION AT ALL
ABOUT WHERE SHE MIGHT BE.
Narrator: POLICE ARE STUMPED.
IN SEARCH OF LEADS, THEY SECURE A WARRANT
TO THOROUGHLY SEARCH CHANDRA'S APARTMENT.
Dimond: THE POLICE FIND CHANDRA LEVY'S PURSE,
AND INSIDE, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE IN PLACE,
HER WALLET, ALL OF HER IDENTIFICATION.
THEY WONDER WHY A YOUNG WOMAN
WOULD LEAVE HER APARTMENT WITHOUT HER IDENTIFICATION.
ABOUT THE ONLY THING MISSING IS THE KEYS TO HER APARTMENT.
THEN, THEY HEAD FOR THE COMPUTER
BECAUSE THE COMPUTER ALWAYS IS FULL OF EVIDENCE.
WHEN THEY TRY TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT SHE HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR,
IT CRASHES.
THE ENTIRE COMPUTER WAS CORRUPTED.
THEY CAN'T SEE ANY E-MAILS.
THEY SEE NOTHING.
**
NARRATOR: OFFICERS CONFISCATE THE COMPUTER
AND COLLECT OTHER ITEMS THAT COULD, POTENTIALLY, BE EVIDENCE.
Monroe: NEXT, WE RECOVERED HER ANSWERING MACHINE,
AND IT CONTAINED THE NORMAL MESSAGES,
MOSTLY FROM HER PARENTS.
BUT THERE ARE TWO MESSAGES IN THERE
THAT PEAK THEIR INTEREST --
TWO MESSAGES FROM A MAN.
[ BEEP ]
THE CALLER DOESN'T REVEAL HIMSELF BY NAME,
BUT THE VOICE IS UNMISTAKABLE.
IT'S CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THE CONGRESSMAN
WANTS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH CHANDRA.
Monroe: IT WAS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL TO US.
HE HAD INDICATED HE BARELY KNEW HER.
HE JUST KNEW HER IN PASSING.
Dimond: SO NOW THE QUESTION,
WHY IS A 53-YEAR-OLD CONGRESSMAN,
MARRIED, FATHER OF TWO,
CALLING A YOUNG INTERN,
NOT ONCE BUT TWICE?
WHAT DOES HE REALLY WANT?
IT MAKES YOU THINK, "WHAT ELSE IS THIS CONGRESSMAN HIDING?"
Narrator: AFTER SEARCHING THE APARTMENT
OF MISSING INTERN CHANDRA LEVY,
POLICE UNCOVER INTRIGUING VOICE MESSAGES.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE WE IDENTIFIED
WAS CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT.
[ BEEP ]
POLICE THINK, "WAIT A MINUTE. WHAT'S GOING ON?
HE TOLD US THERE WAS NO PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.
WHY IS A 53-YEAR-OLD CONGRESSMAN,
MARRIED, FATHER OF TWO,
CALLING A YOUNG INTERN?
VERY SUSPICIOUS -- VERY SUSPICIOUS, INDEED."
**
Monroe: IF A PERSON IS MISLEADING
IN THE NATURE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE,
YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF WHY.
Narrator: IF CHANDRA DID HAVE A DALLIANCE WITH CONDIT,
IT WOULD BE FAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR THE INTERN.
CHANDRA HAD SEVERAL VERY SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
PRIOR TO MOVING TO WASHINGTON.
SHE TENDED TO GRAVITATE TOWARD OLDER MEN...
AND A FEW MARRIED MEN.
Dimond: CHANDRA HAD A HISTORY WITH OLDER, MARRIED MEN,
SO THAT SHE WOULD FALL FOR A MARRIED CONGRESSMAN
WAS NOT A SURPRISE.
Narrator: BUT FOR CONDIT,
A RELATIONSHIP WITH A 24-YEAR-OLD INTERN
COULD BE DAMNING.
GARY CONDIT HAD A LOT TO LOSE.
HE HAD A WIFE AND CHILDREN BACK HOME IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA,
AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME,
GARY CONDIT'S STAR IS RISING IN THE POLITICAL WORLD.
NEWS OF AN AFFAIR COULD ABSOLUTELY WIPE OUT
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
POLICE START TO WONDER IF HE WAS HAVING A SEXUAL AFFAIR WITH HER
AND IF CONDIT, PERHAPS,
DID SOMETHING TO MAKE THIS GIRL DISAPPEAR.
Narrator: IN THE MIDST OF THE INVESTIGATION,
THE LEVYS INFORM POLICE OF DARK RUMORS
SWIRLING AROUND CONDIT IN MODESTO.
Susan: WE HAD A HANDYMAN, AND I GOT TO KNOW HIM.
THEN, ONE DAY,
WE'RE TAKING THE HORSE IN THE BACKYARD.
WE JUST STARTED TALKING ABOUT DAUGHTERS,
AND THAT'S WHEN HE OPENED UP ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER.
SHE WAS INVOLVED WITH A CONGRESSPERSON.
Dimond: ACCORDING TO SUSAN,
HIS DAUGHTER HAD BEEN ROMANTICALLY LINKED
WITH CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT
WHEN SHE WAS JUST 18 YEARS OLD,
AND THE DAUGHTER, HE SAID,
TOLD HIM THAT CONDIT WAS VERY SECRETIVE,
VERY MYSTERIOUS.
Narrator: THE YOUNG WOMAN REPORTEDLY ENDED
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CONDIT IN A TENSE BREAKUP.
LATER, THE HANDYMAN RECANTS THE STORY HE TOLD TO SUSAN LEVY,
BUT INVESTIGATORS TAKE THE ACCUSATION SERIOUSLY.
THIS CONGRESSMAN KNOWS A LOT MORE THAN HE'S BEEN SAYING,
SO THEY GO BACK TO HIS CONDO, KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
**
WE EXPECTED, INITIALLY, THAT
HE WOULD BE FULLY COOPERATIVE IN THE INVESTIGATION,
BUT NOW HE BECAME MORE EVASIVE.
Dimond: HE WOULDN'T TALK TO THE POLICE.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT MAKES A POLICE OFFICER MORE SUSPICIOUS
THAN SOMEONE WHO JUST DOESN'T GIVE THEM VERY MUCH INFORMATION.
Susan: I KIND OF FELT, MAYBE,
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN COVERING HIS TRACKS.
HE JUST SEEMED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT HIMSELF.
**
Narrator: TO KEEP PRESSURE ON BOTH CONDIT AND THE POLICE,
THE LEVYS DEVELOP A PLAN.
I KNEW THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET SOME ANSWERS, FOR ME,
WAS TO TRY TO BE AS PROACTIVE
AND SPEAK UP
ON ANY KIND OF RADIO PROGRAMS, IN TV.
MR. CONDIT, WOULD YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD
AND SHARE WHATEVER YOU KNOW.
YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE
TO REALLY HAVE SPENT ANY TIME WITH CHANDRA.
I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT,
BUT PERHAPS RECORDS MIGHT SAY SOMETHING.
I'M NOT SURE.
IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR STORIES TO BEGIN CIRCULATING
ABOUT CONGRESSMAN CONDIT AND CHANDRA LEVY.
WE'RE FASCINATED BY THE POSSIBILITY
THAT SHE WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH THIS CONGRESSMAN.
CONGRESSMAN CONDIT HAD BEEN ONE OF THE FEW DEMOCRATS
WHO WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED
WITH THE PRESIDENT AND MONICA LEWINSKY.
THERE ARE DEMOCRATS WHO WANT ALL THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.
WE WANT IT OUT THERE NOW.
WE THINK THAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
SO THAT ADDED TO THE BACKDROP OF THIS CASE,
AND IT ADDED TO THE MEDIA INTEREST.
Doyle: THAT REALLY PUT THE BALL IN PLAY,
AND FOR THE SUMMER OF 2001,
GARY CONDIT IS IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF EVERY TABLOID IN TOWN.
THE STORY GOES FROM ZERO TO 60 VERY QUICKLY.
Velez-Mitchell: THE MEDIA IS COMPLETELY INSANE
ABOUT THIS CONGRESSMAN SCANDAL.
THEY CHASE HIM DOWN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS,
SHOUTING, "WHERE'S CHANDRA?"
THEY STAKE OUT HIS HOME.
EVERYWHERE HE GOES, HE'S BEING HOUNDED BY THE NEWS MEDIA.
IT'S A SEX SCANDAL, NOTHING JUICIER THAN THAT.
Monroe: SO, YOU HAVE A MEDIA FRENZY,
AND IT JUST WOULDN'T GO AWAY.
IT BECAME ITS OWN STORY EVERY DAY,
"WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CHANDRA LEVY?"
AND AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE RESPONDING TO THAT.
**
Narrator: IN SEARCH OF THE NOW-HIGH-PROFILE INTERN,
INVESTIGATORS SWEEP THE CITY.
Dimond: THIS WAS NOT YOUR NORMAL MISSING-PERSON CASE.
IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE D.C. METRO POLICE
TOOK THIS CASE REALLY, REALLY SERIOUSLY.
Monroe: WE SEARCHED THE AREA
IMMEDIATELY AROUND HER DUPONT CIRCLE APARTMENT.
WE SEARCHED THE ALLEYS, THE DUMPSTERS,
HOPING WE WOULD FIND SOMETHING THAT WAS CONNECTED TO HER.
WE EXPANDED THE SEARCH THROUGH VACANT PROPERTIES IN THE CITY.
Narrator: NOW, OVER TWO WEEKS SINCE SHE WAS LAST SEEN,
POLICE ARE BEGINNING TO FEAR THE WORST.
I KNEW, AT THAT POINT,
WE PROBABLY WERE NOT GONNA FIND A LIVE PERSON.
WE'RE GOING TO RECOVER A BODY.
Dimond: THERE WERE HELICOPTERS IN THE SKIES,
LOOKING FOR A FLOATING BODY IN THE POTOMAC.
THERE WERE SNIFFER DOGS AT RIVERBANKS
AND IN ROCK CREEK PARK.
Monroe: WE FOUND NOTHING.
Narrator: IN SEARCH OF LEADS,
POLICE DIVE DEEPER INTO CHANDRA'S SOCIAL CIRCLE.
IT'S UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILLED RANDOMLY.
POLICE INVESTIGATORS OFTEN FOCUS
ON FAMILY, CLOSE FRIENDS, BOYFRIENDS, LOVERS,
WHEN TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHO THE LIKELY SUSPECT IS.
POLICE DISCOVER THAT CHANDRA LEVY
DIDN'T HAVE A WIDE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS,
AND THE SMALL CIRCLE THAT SHE HAD
WAS COMPRISED MOSTLY OF MEN.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ZERO IN ON ONE FRIEND IN PARTICULAR.
POLICE DISCOVERED THAT JUST
THREE DAYS BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED,
CHANDRA WAS WITH HIM IN HIS APARTMENT.
WHO WAS THIS MAN,
AND WHAT WAS HE DOING WITH HER IN THE MOMENTS
BEFORE SHE VANISHED?
Narrator: NEARLY THREE WEEKS AFTER CHANDRA LEVY DISAPPEARS,
POLICE UNCOVER A PROMISING LEAD.
THEY DISCOVERED THAT JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED,
CHANDRA WAS WITH A MAN IN HIS APARTMENT.
**
THE MAN'S NAME WAS ROBERT KURKJIAN.
HE WAS A NEWCOMER TO WASHINGTON,
AND THEY MET AT THE GYM.
INTERESTINGLY, HE WAS A USC GRADUATE.
Narrator: POLICE BRING HIM IN FOR QUESTIONING.
WHEN PRESSED, KURKJIAN ADMITS THAT HE WAS
ONCE ROMANTICALLY INTERESTED IN CHANDRA.
Dimond: HE HAD ASKED HER OUT TO A PARTY
AND TO SOME FESTIVITIES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
AND SHE ALWAYS TURNED HIM DOWN.
CHANDRA HAD REVEALED TO ROBERT
THAT SHE HAD A CONGRESSMAN BOYFRIEND,
BUT SHE NEVER NAMED HIM.
HOWEVER, THEY DID STAY IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER.
Narrator: IN JANUARY 2001,
SHE INVITED KURKJIAN TO AN EVENT AT THE HEIGHT OF D.C. CULTURE.
HE GOT A CALL FROM CHANDRA.
SHE EXPLAINED THAT SHE HAD TICKETS
TO THE INAUGURATION BALL OF GEORGE W. BUSH.
AND WOULD HE LIKE TO GO?
Velez-Mitchell: THEN, WHEN THEY WERE AT THE INAUGURAL BALL,
SHE'S NOT INTERESTED IN DANCING.
SHE WANTS TO CLIMB THE STAIRCASE,
SO SHE CAN LOOK OUT OVER THE CROWD.
IS SHE LOOKING FOR THIS MYSTERY BOYFRIEND,
AND WHY IS EVERYTHING SO SECRETIVE?
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS THEN QUESTION KURKJIAN
ABOUT THE LAST TIME HE SAW CHANDRA.
Dimond: ROBERT TELLS POLICE,
SHE SPENT THE VERY LAST WEEKEND AT HIS APARTMENT,
WATCHING A MOVIE, EATING PIZZA,
DRINKING BEER WITH HIS ROOMMATES,
AND SHE STAYED UNTIL ABOUT 1:00 IN THE MORNING.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO KURKJIAN,
THAT EVENING, SHE OPENED UP ABOUT HER SECRET RELATIONSHIP.
Dimond: SHE WAS POURING HER HEART OUT
ABOUT THIS BOYFRIEND OF HERS.
HE WAS GOING TO QUIT CONGRESS AND BECOME A LOBBYIST,
LEAVE HIS WIFE AND MARRY HER.
IT BECOMES VERY CLEAR TO THE POLICE
THAT THE CONGRESSMAN BOYFRIEND
IS CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT.
Narrator: KURKJIAN ASSURES POLICE
THAT THE NIGHT IN QUESTION CAME
TO AN UNREMARKABLE CONCLUSION.
HE SAID HE BEGAN TO FALL ASLEEP,
AND HE FINALLY CONVINCED HER IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE.
HE TOOK HER OUT TO THE CORNER, PUT HER IN A CAB,
AND THAT'S THE LAST TIME HE SAW OR HEARD FROM HER.
Narrator: POLICE, HOWEVER, SUBJECT KURKJIAN AND HIS STORY
TO FURTHER SCRUTINY.
HE'S ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN CHANDRA'S LIFE,
AND THE POLICE FIGURE THEY NEED TO GIVE HIM A POLYGRAPH TEST.
HE READILY AGREES TO IT.
AND HE PASSES.
INVESTIGATORS CLEAR KURKJIAN,
BUT THEY'VE GAINED NEW INSIGHT
INTO CHANDRA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CONGRESSMAN.
Dimond: POLICE WERE STUNNED BY ONE THING.
IT WAS MORE THAN JUST A FLING TO CHANDRA.
CHANDRA WANTED A COMMITMENT.
Narrator: BUT CONDIT STILL ISN'T TALKING.
TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THE CONGRESSMAN,
COPS TURN TO THEIR ALLIES IN THE PRESS.
THE INVESTIGATORS ARE LEAKING LIKE A SIEVE.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO SECRET
THAT'S HELD FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS.
THE STORY ACCELERATES
BEYOND ANYTHING THAT I'D EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
THERE WAS SEX.
THERE WAS A UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN
AND A MISSING INTERN.
CONDIT MUST HAVE FELT THE HEAT.
Narrator: IT SEEMS THE PUBLICITY TACTIC WORKS.
ON JUNE 23rd,
CONDIT AGREES TO MEET WITH INVESTIGATORS.
Dimond: SO THEY GO BACK TO INTERVIEW HIM.
THE POLICE KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE
THAN GARY CONDIT THINKS THEY KNOW.
THEY'VE HEARD THE VOICEMAILS.
THEY'VE TALKED TO HER FRIENDS,
BUT HE'S A UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN.
HOW FAR CAN THEY PUSH HIM TO GIVE THE TRUTH?
HE DID HAVE A PRETTY GOOD ALIBI
FOR THE TIME CHANDRA LEVY WENT MISSING.
HE HAD A PACKED SCHEDULE THAT DAY.
FIRST OF ALL, HIS WIFE WAS IN TOWN FOR A RARE VISIT.
HE WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A LENGTHY MEETING
WITH VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY ON ENERGY POLICY,
AND THEN HE HEADED TO CAPITOL HILL
AND SPENT SOME TIME IN HIS CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, HE DOESN'T GIVE THEM
ANYMORE THAN, "I KNEW HER. SHE CAME TO MY OFFICE.
SHE CAME TO MY CONDO ONCE OR TWICE."
**
Narrator: CONDIT'S CONTINUED OBFUSCATION
ONLY FUELS INTRIGUE.
POLICE KNOW THAT GARY CONDIT IS NOT BEING ENTIRELY HONEST.
SO HOW DO YOU BUILD A CASE AGAINST SOMEBODY LIKE THAT?
YOU GO SEARCH THEIR APARTMENT.
ON JULY 10th, ARMED WITH A WARRANT,
POLICE CONDUCT A SEARCH OF THE CONGRESSMAN'S HOME.
AND THAT NIGHT, FOR HOURS,
THERE'S CRIME-SCENE TECHS WHO ARE GOING PIECE BY PIECE,
SCRAP BY SCRAP THROUGH THE CONGRESSMAN'S APARTMENT.
TECHNICIANS SOUGHT OUT ANYTHING THAT MIGHT SHED LIGHT
ON CONGRESSMAN CONDIT AND CHANDRA LEVY.
WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IS EVIDENCE OF A MURDER.
THEY REMOVE PARTS OF THE CARPET,
PARTS OF THE WALL, PIPES AND TRAPS FROM THE SINKS.
Narrator: POLICE THEN SCRUTINIZE THE SAMPLES.
THE EVIDENCE THAT WE FOUND WAS PRETTY MUCH NONDESCRIPT.
AFTER THEY ANALYZED IT ALL,
THEY HAD NOTHING.
Narrator: BUT THEN, JUST DAYS AFTER THE SEARCH,
A TIPSTER STEPS FORWARD.
WHAT A BIZARRE STORY HE HAS TO TELL.
Doyle: IT LOOKS, TO THIS WITNESS,
LIKE THE CONGRESSMAN IS HIDING SOMETHING.
AFTER A FRUITLESS SEARCH OF CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT'S
D.C. APARTMENT,
INVESTIGATORS RECEIVE A CALL FROM A TIPSTER
IN NEARBY ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
WHAT A BIZARRE STORY HE HAS TO TELL.
Narrator: ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 10th,
JUST HOURS BEFORE POLICE WERE SCHEDULED
TO SEARCH CONDIT'S APARTMENT,
THE CALLER SPOTTED AN INDIVIDUAL STANDING NEAR A TRASHCAN.
AND THE WITNESS RECOGNIZED THIS AS GARY CONDIT.
HE SEES GARY CONDIT TAKE AN OBJECT
AND PUSH IT WAY DOWN INTO A TRASHCAN.
Doyle: THE WITNESS THINKS THIS IS PRETTY STRANGE.
HE'S SEEN ACCOUNTS OF GARY CONDIT,
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE WESTERN WORLD.
HE'S AWARE OF THE CHANDRA LEVY STORY.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE CONGRESSMAN IS HIDING SOMETHING.
**
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE STUNNED BY THE CALL
AND RACE TO ALEXANDRIA TO INSPECT THE SCENE.
POLICE DIG THROUGH THE TRASH AND DISCOVER ONE ITEM
THAT IS MORE CURIOUS THAN EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S A WATCH BOX.
Narrator: THE BOX ITSELF IS EMPTY,
BUT THE BRAND NAME CATCHES THE INVESTIGATOR'S EYE.
THIS PARTICULAR WATCH WAS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE,
WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION,
WHAT WAS THE RELEVANCE OF THE WATCH BOX,
AND WHY DID HE WANT TO GET RID OF IT?
THEY TRACE THIS WATCH BACK TO A STORE IN CALIFORNIA,
AND IT WASN'T PURCHASED BY CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT.
IT WAS PURCHASED BY A WOMAN NAMED JOLEEN,
SO POLICE DO SOME INVESTIGATING.
Narrator: THEY LOCATE A WOMAN NAMED JOLEEN ARGENTINI MCKAY
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,
NOT FAR FROM CONDIT'S HOME DISTRICT.
THEY FOUND HER, SAT HER DOWN,
AND SHE TELLS THEM A WILD STORY.
SHE WORKED IN GARY CONDIT'S OFFICE,
AND GARY CONDIT AND SHE HAD HAD A LONG-TIME AFFAIR.
**
Doyle: SHE HAD FELT STRONGLY ENOUGH ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT SHE GAVE HIM NOT JUST ANY WATCH
BUT A VERY FINE WATCH,
BUT THE YOUNG WOMAN TELLS THEM SHE HAD SOME CONCERNS.
Narrator: JOLEEN CLAIMS CONDIT PLACED ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON HER
TO KEEP THEIR LIAISON A SECRET.
ACCORDING TO JOLEEN, SHE BROKE OFF THE RELATIONSHIP
AFTER FINDING CONDIT WAS MANIPULATIVE AND CONTROLLING
IN THE CONFINES OF THEIR AFFAIR.
Narrator: THE REVELATIONS LEAVE INVESTIGATORS PERPLEXED.
Dimond: IF GARY CONDIT WOULD GO TO ALL THIS TROUBLE
TO HIDE A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIFT FROM A WOMAN HE WORKED WITH,
WHAT ELSE IS HE HIDING?
Narrator: THE ANSWER, IN PART, COMES FROM ANOTHER WOMAN
WHO STEPS FORWARD THAT SAME MONTH.
A FLIGHT ATTENDANT NAMED ANNE MARIE SMITH
COMES FORWARD AND SAYS, PUBLICLY,
SOME REALLY DAMNING THINGS.
Dimond: SHE TELLS THIS STORY ABOUT A STEAMY AFFAIR THAT
SHE'S HAD WITH GARY CONDIT FOR THE LAST YEAR.
ACCORDING TO SMITH, HE WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR
WITH HER AND CHANDRA LEVY AT THE SAME TIME.
Narrator: SMITH BEGINS REVEALING DETAILS OF THE ALLEGED AFFAIR
IN THE MEDIA.
HE HAD THIS FANTASY ABOUT ME AND ANOTHER MAN --
LIKE, A LITTLE MENAGE A TROIS, EXCEPT WITH ANOTHER MAN,
AND HE CALLED ME AND SAID, "WELL, WE'RE HERE.
WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU,"
SO, EVENTUALLY, I WENT OVER THERE,
AND I PROBABLY GOT THERE AROUND 10:30 OR 11:00 AT NIGHT,
AND HE SAID, "WELL, THEY LEFT.
THESE GUYS LEFT," AND HE SAID,
"I THOUGHT YOU WOULD PROBABLY GET UPSET AND CRY."
**
STOP. [ CHUCKLES ]
I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS.
THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE,
I PEAKED OVER THE EDGE OF THE BED,
AND I SAW THIS TIE STICKING OUT, AND I, LIKE, PULLED ON IT,
AND HE HAD ALL THESE TIES TIED TOGETHER UNDER HIS BED,
AND HE CAME OUT OF THE SHOWER, AND I ASKED HIM.
I'M LIKE, "WHO HAVE YOU BEEN TYING UP?"
AND HE SAID, "I ACTUALLY HAD THOSE USED ON YOU."
THIS BLOWS APART HIS REPUTATION ON CAPITOL HILL.
THIS IS STEAMY, NASTY, DIRTY STUFF.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO SMITH,
THE RELATIONSHIP ENDED IN MAY OF 2001,
BUT SOON AFTER CHANDRA DISAPPEARED,
SHE HEARD FROM CONDIT ONCE AGAIN.
HE ACTUALLY APPROACHED HER THROUGH HIS STAFF
ABOUT SIGNING AN AFFIDAVIT,
SAYING THAT SHE HAD NEVER HAD
A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE CONGRESSMAN.
Narrator: SMITH REFUSED TO SIGN THE DOCUMENT.
Doyle: THIS WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
NOW, THE CONGRESSMAN IS BEING ACCUSED IN THE MEDIA,
NOT ONLY OF BEING A PHILANDERER,
BUT AS SOMEBODY WHO'S TRYING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE.
Narrator: THE INCIDENT LEFT SMITH SHAKEN.
I DIDN'T STAY IN MY OWN HOTEL ROOMS IN MY LAYOVERS.
I MOVED TO A PLACE WHERE NOBODY KNOWS MY ADDRESS,
NOBODY KNOWS MY PHONE NUMBER.
I WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR MY OWN SAFETY.
Narrator: THROUGH HIS CONGRESSIONAL AIDS,
CONDIT RESPONDS TO THE EXPLOSIVE CLAIMS.
GARY CONDIT COMPLETELY DENIES EVERYTHING.
HE SAYS THAT ANNE MARIE SMITH IS IN IT JUST FOR THE FAME,
AND HE'S STILL NOT ADMITTING
HE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHANDRA.
Narrator: THE PRESS RUN WITH CONDIT'S DENIAL,
BUT SOON, SOMEONE STEPS FORWARD TO CHALLENGE HIM.
A WOMAN NAMED LINDA ZAMSKY COMES FORWARD.
WHO IS SHE? SHE'S CHANDRA LEVY'S AUNT.
HER AUNT LINDA WAS A SOUNDING BOARD
THAT CHANDRA TRUSTED
AND THE PERSON SHE TOLD THE MOST DETAIL
AS A WOMAN CAN TELL ANOTHER WOMAN.
SHE BECOMES UPSET AND FRUSTRATED
WITH GARY CONDIT'S UNWILLINGNESS TO BE FORTHCOMING,
AND SHE FINALLY BLOWS THE WHISTLE,
THEN RELEASES A 15-PAGE STATEMENT.
Dimond: ZAMSKY KNOWS EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY
OF THAT RELATIONSHIP.
SHE WAS MADLY IN LOVE WITH THE MAN OF HER DREAMS.
SHE WAS OBSESSED WITH HIM.
Narrator: ZAMSKY ALSO PAINTS A CURIOUS PICTURE
OF CONDIT'S CLOSELY-GUARDED PERSONAL LIFE.
Doyle: LINDA ZAMSKY SAYS CONDIT INSISTED ON SECRECY,
AND THERE WERE SEVERAL RULES TO BE FOLLOWED
TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP SECRET.
FOR INSTANCE, IF CHANDRA WAS ON THE ELEVATOR
AT CONDIT'S APARTMENT,
AND SOMEBODY ELSE GOT ON BOARD,
SHE WAS TO GET OFF ON ANOTHER FLOOR,
SO THERE'D BE NOTHING CONNECTING HER TO THE CONGRESSMAN.
AND WHEN THEY WENT OUT,
SHE WAS NEVER TO CARRY ANY IDENTIFICATION.
Narrator: NOTABLY, WHEN CHANDRA WENT MISSING,
POLICE DISCOVERED SHE LEFT HER DRIVER'S LICENSE BEHIND.
ZAMSKY TELLS THE POLICE THAT, ACCORDING TO CHANDRA,
GARY CONDIT DRUMMED INTO HER HEAD,
"NEVER TAKE YOUR IDENTIFICATION WHEN YOU'RE WITH ME."
WAS CHANDRA LEVY GOING TO SEE GARY CONDIT THAT DAY?
**
Narrator: ANOTHER FRIEND OF CHANDRA'S ALSO STEPS FORWARD
AND CLAIMS THE INTERN WAS GROWING ANXIOUS
ABOUT THE STATE OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
SHE WANTED A COMMITMENT
BEYOND BEING THE MISTRESS.
CHANDRA WANTED GARY TO LEAVE HIS WIFE.
SHE WANTED A BABY,
AND SHE BELIEVED THAT THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A FUTURE TOGETHER.
THAT FINAL WEEKEND WAS THE PERFECT STORM.
SHORTLY BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED,
SHE TOLD HER FRIEND SHE WAS PUSHING GARY CONDIT
TO CONFRONT HIS WIFE,
AND THE WIFE WAS IN TOWN.
INVESTIGATORS ARE FLOORED ABOUT HOW THEIR RELATIONSHIP
MAY HAVE TURNED COMBUSTIBLE BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.
THAT MAY HAVE GIVEN MOTIVE TO CONDIT TO GET RID OF HER.
Narrator: CONCERNED BY THE CONFLICTING STORIES,
COPS ONCE AGAIN CONFRONT CONDIT,
AND HE SUBMITS TO ANOTHER INTERVIEW.
IN HIS THIRD INTERVIEW WITH INVESTIGATORS,
THERE WERE SO MANY QUESTIONS.
WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
WAS IT AN AFFAIR? WERE YOU ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED?
67 DAYS AFTER THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CHANDRA LEVY,
HE FINALLY ADMITS TO POLICE,
"OKAY, THERE WAS AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP."
Doyle: IT WAS A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP.
IT WAS AN AFFAIR.
THE POLICE ARE ASKING,
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO CHANDRA LEVY?
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER DISAPPEARANCE?
DID YOU KILL HER?"
Dimond: BUT HE SAYS HE HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO
WITH CHANDRA LEVY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS REMAIN SUSPICIOUS.
WITH LITTLE LEVERAGE AGAINST THEIR HIGH-PROFILE TARGET,
ONCE AGAIN, THEY TURN TO THE PRESS.
WHEN IT'S LEAKED TO THE MEDIA,
THERE IS BLOOD IN THE WATER.
THE MEDIA IS LIKE A SHARK ON THAT BLOOD.
THE WHOLE THING EXPLODES.
THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE THAT HE MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO
WITH CHANDRA LEVY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
Velez-Mitchell: PEOPLE GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT
HE CARED MORE ABOUT HIS CAREER
THAN ABOUT THE FATE OF THIS YOUNG GIRL.
Susan: IS THERE A DIFFERENT STANDARD
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN GOVERNMENT?
OH, I THINK SO. YES.
TOTALLY A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD.
Narrator: BACK IN CALIFORNIA,
CONDIT'S CORE CONSTITUENCY IS FED UP.
HE HAD GONE FROM BEING SOMEONE WHO COULD BE COUNTED UPON
TO SOMEONE WHO WAS A COMPLETE EMBARRASSMENT.
AND SOON, THE SIX-TERM CONGRESSMAN
FACES RE-ELECTION.
BY AUGUST, GARY CONDIT IS IN BIG POLITICAL TROUBLE.
HIS POLITICAL CAREER IS ON THE PRECIPICE.
HIS ATTORNEY TALKED TO HIM.
"YOU'RE AT A CROSSROADS," HE WAS TOLD.
"YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR POLITICAL LIFE.
IT'S TIME TO TALK TO SOMEONE IN THE MEDIA."
**
MY NAME IS CONNIE CHUNG.
I'M A TELEVISION NEWS JOURNALIST.
I WAS WORKING AT ABC, AT THE TIME.
AS IT TURNED OUT, CONDIT'S LAWYER CALLED ME
AND SAID, "YOU'VE GOT THE INTERVIEW."
IT BECAME BIG NEWS THAT I WAS INTERVIEWING HIM.
Doyle: IT'S THE MOST HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED INTERVIEW
IN QUITE A LONG TIME.
FOR CONGRESSMAN CONDIT TO PERFORM WELL,
HIS CAREER MIGHT BE TURNED AROUND AND SAVED.
PERFORM POORLY, AND IT'S A DISASTER.
Narrator: BUT IN THE MINDS OF THE PUBLIC,
THERE'S ONLY ONCE CONCERN.
Chung: DID YOU KILL CHANDRA LEVY?
Narrator: THE MEDIA IS HOUNDING CONGRESSMAN GARY CONDIT
OVER A SUSPECTED INVOLVEMENT
IN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CHANDRA LEVY.
THE PRESS HAS ONE GOAL DURING THE SUMMER OF 2001.
THAT IS TO GET CONGRESSMAN CONDIT
TO SIT DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW.
Narrator: HE AGREES TO DO A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW
WITH CONNIE CHUNG.
WHEN I SAT DOWN FOR THIS INTERVIEW,
HE WAS SITTING ACROSS FROM ME.
I COULD FEEL THE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO OF US
AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO WAS IN THE ROOM.
I ASKED MY FIVE RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS.
Chung: CONGRESSMAN CONDIT,
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO CHANDRA LEVY?
NO, I DO NOT.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER DISAPPEARANCE?
NO, I DIDN'T.
DID YOU SAY ANYTHING OR DO ANYTHING
THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED HER TO DROP OUT OF SIGHT?
YOU KNOW WHAT?
CHANDRA AND I NEVER HAD A CROSSROAD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA IF THERE WAS ANYONE
WHO WANTED TO HARM HER?
NO.
DID YOU CAUSE ANYONE TO HARM HER?
NO.
DID YOU KILL CHANDRA LEVY? I DID NOT.
HE ANSWERED THEM QUICKLY -- WHICH I WAS SURPRISED AT --
AND THEN WE GOT INTO THE INTERVIEW.
WHAT EXACTLY WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH CHANDRA LEVY?
WELL, I MET CHANDRA LAST OCTOBER,
AND WE BECAME VERY CLOSE.
I MET HER IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
VERY CLOSE MEANING?
WE HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP.
I LIKED HER VERY MUCH.
MAY I ASK YOU, WAS IT A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP?
WELL, CONNIE, I'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 34 YEARS,
AND I'VE NOT BEEN A PERFECT MAN,
AND I'VE MADE MY SHARE OF MISTAKES.
HE REPEATED THE SAME PHRASES, SAME SENTENCES NUMEROUS TIMES.
CAN YOU TELL US,
DID YOU HAVE A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH CHANDRA LEVY?
WELL, ONCE AGAIN, I'VE BEEN MARRIED 34 YEARS.
I HAVE NOT BEEN A PERFECT MAN.
I HAVE MADE MISTAKES IN MY LIFE,
AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR MY FAMILY,
OUT OF A SPECIFIC REQUEST BY THE LEVY FAMILY,
IT'S BEST THAT I NOT GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
HE WOULD PRACTICALLY PRESS THE BUTTON,
AND A RECORDING WOULD COME OUT.
I WAS GETTING INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED
AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE COULD DO END RUNS.
I WASN'T THERE TO THROW SOFTBALLS.
TRUTHFULLY, DID YOU ANSWER EVERY QUESTION TRUTHFULLY?
I ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION TRUTHFULLY.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO
WHEN YOU'RE COOPERATING WITH THE POLICE.
BUT DID YOU REVEAL THAT
YOU WERE HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HER?
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE ASPECTS OF THE DETAILS
OF THE INVESTIGATION OR THE INTERVIEWS.
AS THE INTERVIEW UNFOLDED, I THOUGHT, "GOOD HEAVENS,
HE IS NOT ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS.
HE'S NOT COMING FORWARD."
NOW, WHEN MRS. LEVY ASKED YOU IF YOU HAD HAD AN AFFAIR,
SHE SAYS YOU SAID "NO,"
AND YOU ARE NOW SAYING THAT YOU DIDN'T LIE TO HER.
I'M SAYING THAT. YES.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT SHE MISUNDERSTOOD YOU...
YES. ...WHEN YOU SAID NO?
SHE -- WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHAT SHE --
YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID "YES"?
I'M NOT SURE WHAT CONVERSATION SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SHE MADE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO SEVERAL PEOPLE.
MY JOB WAS JUST SIMPLY TO BE HELPFUL TO HER
TO TRY TO GET TO WHATEVER SHE WAS GETTING THROUGH.
I NEVER LIED TO MRS. LEVY.
HE WASN'T INTENDING TO, REALLY, SPILL ANY KIND OF INFORMATION,
SO BY THE TIME IT WAS OVER, I WAS DRAINED.
HE WAS DRAINED.
HE WAS READY TO GET OUT OF THERE.
I SAID, "THANK YOU,"
AND THAT'S WHEN HE BOLTED OUT OF THE CHAIR
AND DIDN'T GET VERY FAR
BECAUSE HIS MICROPHONE WAS STILL ATTACHED,
AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOODNESS."
IT WAS CLEARLY NOT WHERE HE WANTED TO BE.
AFTERWARDS, GARY CONDIT SAID TO ME,
"YOU LOOK NICE. YOU ACT NICE.
BUT YOU'RE NOT NICE."
24 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHED,
AND THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER.
THE REACTION WAS SWIFT.
THE FALLOUT WAS GREAT.
ANYBODY WHO SAW IT CAME AWAY
THINKING LESS OF THE CONGRESSMAN.
IT WAS A COMPLETE P.R. DISASTER.
Narrator: WHILE THE INTERVIEW DOES LITTLE TO ADVANCE
THE INVESTIGATION OF CHANDRA'S DISAPPEARANCE,
ITS IMPACT IS FELT IN CONDIT'S BID FOR RE-ELECTION.
IN VOTING, THE PUBLIC MAKES ITS JUDGEMENT ON CONDIT
LOUD AND CLEAR.
BY A MARGIN OF ALMOST 20%,
CONDIT IS TOSSED FROM OFFICE.
Narrator: FOR THE MAN WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE KNOWN HIM BEST,
CONDIT'S PERFORMANCE IN THE NOW-INFAMOUS INTERVIEW
COMES AS NO SURPRISE.
MY NAME IS VINCE FLAMMINI.
I WAS GARY CONDIT'S DRIVER, BODYGUARD,
AND VERY CLOSE FRIEND FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
GARY WOULD NEVER, EVER ADMIT ANYTHING --
EVER.
OH, HE'S JUST A VERY SECRETIVE PERSON.
HE DON'T WANT NOBODY TO KNOW ANYTHING.
VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW HIS FAVORITE COLOR.
VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW HIS FAVORITE LUCKY NUMBERS.
PROBABLY ME IS THE ONLY ONE, AND I BET YOU ANYTHING,
HE'LL NEVER SAY HE HAD AN AFFAIR WITH CHANDRA --
NEVER.
YOU COULD WATERBOARD HIM ALL DAY LONG,
AND HE WOULD NEVER ADMIT IT.
Narrator: AFTER YEARS OF WORKING FOR CONDIT,
FLAMMINI HAS MUCH MORE TO SAY.
NEXT TIME ON
"CHANDRA LEVY: AN AMERICAN MURDER MYSTERY"...
THE INVESTIGATORS WENT BEYOND LEAVING NO STONE UNTURNED.
Narrator: ...A CURIOUS TIP LEADS AN INVESTIGATOR
TO A BIZARRE CHARACTER.
McCann: HE SAYS THEY ALL SHOW UP WITH A YOUNG LADY.
HE RECOGNIZES HER AS CHANDRA LEVY.
Narrator: A GRIM DISCOVERY IN ROCK CREEK PARK.
Dimond: NOW THIS HAS MOVED FROM A MISSING-PERSONS CASE
TO A HOMICIDE CASE.
WHO KILLED CHANDRA LEVY?
Narrator: A NEW SUSPECT EMERGES.
Dimond: SHE KEPT LOOKING BACK OVER HER SHOULDER,
AND SHE NOTICED HE WAS BEHIND HER.
IT MADE GUANDIQUE STAND OUT LIKE A NEON SIGN.
Narrator: AND LATER, SECRETS ARE UNCOVERED...
SHE TELLS THE WASHINGTON POST THAT HE LIED ON THE STAND.
Narrator: ...WREAKING HAVOC ON THE CASE.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS WOMAN ALLOWED THE KILLER TO WALK?