www.justiceforchandra.com

[benn]

I have not seen you posting in a while nanci.

Congressman Gary Condit did have many girlfriends. We don't know how many he had, and we don't know if any of them besides Chandra went missing. This secrecy business is almost a crime in itself. Why is a Congressman going around doing things that no one is supposed to know, except him and his secret partner. Seems more like a crime ring than something a Congressman should be doing.

This should be sufficient to show that there is a lot of smoke, and there might be some fire. Law enforcement does not seem to see the smoke, or the possible fire.

We need to get this out onto the newsgroups so that someone will investigate.

Maybe we can investigate the investigators.

benn

[rd]

This just in from RR via e-mail:


FRESNO - A judge hears preliminary arguments in a $10 million
libel lawsuit filed against the National Enquirer by the wife of
former congressman Gary Condit. The case is set for trial in
September, but an attorney for Carolyn Condit says he wants to make
public sealed documents that would reveal the tabloid's
confidential sources. Developing from 8:30 a.m. hearing

end quote

rd

[benn]

That sounds interesting rd, but I am not going to make too much of it until I understand it better. At least it looks like they are going to trial.

I found a website that I had not seen before about Chandra Levy and Condit. I have not had much time to look at it. It has archives.

http://www.geocities.com/redd_herring.geo/chandra/chandralevy_timeline_01.html

This is not the main page. I was looking at their timeline.

benn

[rd]

Thanks for the timeline, benn.

rd

[rd]

And an article now available, via email from RR:

Attorneys fight release of Condit telephone records in libel suit
By BRIAN SKOLOFF
Associated Press Writer
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - Lawyers defending the National Enquirer
against a $10 million libel lawsuit asked a federal judge Friday
for phone records they say could bolster the tabloid's story that
claimed the wife of former Rep. Gary Condit attacked Chandra Levy.
Carolyn Condit sued after the paper published an August 2001
story with the headline "Cops: Condit's Wife Attacked Chandra."
She has said she never met the slain intern and Washington, D.C.
police investigating Levy's death have said the report was false.
A lawyer for Gary Condit told the same judge he shouldn't have
to hand over the records from the former congressman's cell phone
and Washington apartment, saying they are part of the ongoing
investigation into Levy's death. The paper wants to determine
whether Carolyn Condit had contact with Levy, apparently to support
the original story.
The libel case is set for trial Sept. 30.
Levy disappeared in 2001 and was later found dead in a
Washington park. Police sources told The Associated Press that Gary
Condit acknowledged having an affair with her, though he repeatedly
denied any role in her disappearance.
The Enquirer's attorney, Tom Kelley, said the tabloid is
entitled to know whether phone records show Carolyn Condit
contacted Levy.
"If there were any calls between Ms. Levy and Mrs. Condit,
counsel cannot say this is irrelevant to the case," Kelley told
the judge.
Attorneys for both Gary and Carolyn Condit argued the records
have no bearing on the libel suit.
Carolyn Condit's attorney said the tabloid wants to get the
records to see whether the former congressman was having other
affairs.
"The only reason they want those records is to see if Condit
was calling up other ladies and that has nothing to do with this
case," attorney Nevel Johnson said.
Gary Condit's attorney, Mark M. Kassabian, said the phone
records should not be turned over.
"There has never been a suspect arrested. This is still a
murder investigation," Kassabian said. "These documents were
provided to law enforcement but we're not going to provide them
here."
U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence O'Neill did not make a ruling.
Also Friday, Johnson argued that the National Enquirer should
make public the confidential sources it said it used to report the
story.
"What we have here is a No. 1 source saying it's all totally
false," Johnson said, referring to Washington Police Chief Charles
H. Ramsey. "We need to be able to show that the tabloid's sources
were also false."
Johnson said that in a civil case, confidentiality is not
protected.
"In a defamation context, where a news agency is being accused
of lying, there is no privilege," Johnson said. "This has to do
with the quality of journalism."
The judge also did not rule on that motion.

end quote

rd

[jane]

If the phone records cannot be released due to an ongoing investigation into Chandra's death, then perhaps the Condit lawsuit should be delayed for the same reason.
_________________
"There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."
Christ

[jane]

She has said she never met the slain intern...

Didn't the NE article say they argued over the phone? Who said anything about meeting?
_________________
"There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."
Christ

[jane]

quote from the Fresno Bee [bolding added]

Condit's libel case heating up

By JERRY BIER
THE FRESNO BEE

Published: June 21, 2003, 07:00:24 AM PDT

FRESNO -- Lawyers representing Carolyn Condit want the National Enquirer to reveal its sources for stories about her and Chandra Levy.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing the Enquirer in Condit's $10 million libel lawsuit want U.S. Magistrate Lawrence J. O'Neill to order phone records produced.

The Enquirer lawyers contend that the records could support the tabloid's assertion that the wife of then-Rep. Gary Condit of Ceres "verbally attacked" Levy in a telephone conversation.

O'Neill promised a ruling soon. The lawsuit is set to go to trial Sept 30.

Carolyn Condit has sued the Enquirer over stories that it published about Levy's disappearance in the spring of 2001 in Washington, D.C. Condit, then serving in Congress, no longer denies reports that he had an affair with Levy, a 24-year-old Modestan who was in the nation's capital for an internship with the Bureau of Prisons.

Levy's remains were found in a Washington, D.C., park in May 2002, and her death has been ruled a homicide.

Carolyn Condit's lawsuit demands an apology and retraction from the Enquirer, in addition to "in excess of $10 million" in damages. Condit has denied speaking to Levy, and claims that the Enquirer libeled her when it reported the "attack" by telephone just days before the intern's disappearance.

In court Friday, Los Angeles attorney Neville Johnson, representing Condit, said he believes the Enquirer's stories were "totally fabricated," and that she should be able to confront anyone who gave information to the tabloid -- regardless of shield laws that protect reporters from disclosing sources.

"What we have here is a No.1 source saying it's all totally false," Johnson said, referring to alleged comments by Washington Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey. "We need to be able to show that the tabloid's sources were also false."

Seeking to keep sources hidden

Enquirer lawyer Thomas B. Kelly of Denver, objecting to the release of sources' identities, said Enquirer attorneys had not exhausted efforts to get to the truth of the matter on their own.

Kelly asked the judge to order Condit to produce phone records from Gary Condit's cellular phone and Washington apartment, saying the paper wants to determine whether Carolyn Condit had contact with Levy.

"The only reason they want those records is to see if (Gary) Condit was calling up other ladies, and that has nothing to do with this case," Johnson protested.

Earlier this week, O'Neill granted the Enquirer's request to subject Carolyn Condit to a mental examination. The magistrate said the examiners could not delve into details of the Condits' personal relationships.

Carolyn Condit, who has not been present for the pretrial hearings, also has filed a $15 million lawsuit against the Enquirer's sister publication, the Star, saying its stories depicted her as an "intemperate hothead."

And Gary Condit has filed his own lawsuit, an $11 million defamation complaint in federal court in New York against columnist Dominic Dunne.
_________________
"There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."
Christ

[EmmaPeel]

[benn]

[rd]

The source of the leak about a phone call from Carolyn's home to Condit's apartment when he wasn't there and that lasted from 5 to 10 minutes was credited to an anomynous police source. No one ever overheard the conversation.

rd

[benn]

Just for the heck of it I checked at Legal Case Docs, but I did not see any additional records for either Condit v NE or Condit v Dunne.

There is just one record shown for each case.

I wonder how long it will take Legal Case Docs to add some records to these cases, or whether they will automatically add any new material unless requested.

benn

[rd]

Good question. They take suggestions for adding new cases, don't know if they need suggestions for updating them.

rd

[jane]

quote from the Associated Press

Condit attorney denied access to Enquirer sources

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: June 25, 2003, 06:47:33 AM PDT

FRESNO -- A judge has denied requests by an attorney representing the wife of former Rep. Gary Condit to make public confidential sources used by the National Enquirer in a story that claimed Carolyn Condit attacked Chandra Levy.

Carolyn Condit sued after the paper published an August 2001 story with the headline "Cops: Condit's Wife Attacked Chandra."

She has said she never met the slain intern and Washington, D.C., police investigating Levy's death have said the report was false.

The libel case is set for trial Sept. 30.

Attorney Neville Johnson said at a hearing last week he needed the sources' names to prove his claim that the story was false.

Johnson said the judge issued his ruling Monday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence O'Neill also denied a request by attorneys for the Boca Raton, Fla. based-tabloid who sought records from Gary Condit's cell phone and Washington apartment.

The paper wants to determine whether Carolyn Condit had contact with Levy, apparently to support the original story.

Levy disappeared in 2001. Her body was found later in a Washington park. Police sources told The Associated Press that Gary Condit acknowledged having an affair with her, though he repeatedly denied any role in her disappearance.
_________________
"There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."
Christ

[rd]

"Attorney Neville Johnson said at a hearing last week he needed the sources' names to prove his claim that the story was false."


Isn't that interesting. He needs the source to prove it is false? And they don't want the Enquirer to see Condit's phone records. Oh my. That does not seem to be very solid ground on which to be suing.

rd