Jury begins deliberations in Levy case

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The case of the man accused of killing Washington intern Chandra Levy is in the hands of the jury, which was ordered to begin deliberations Wednesday.

If convicted of first-degree murder in Levy's death in 2001, Ingmar Guandique could be sentenced to life in prison without parole, CNN reported. If convicted of second-degree murder, he could receive an indiscriminate sentence of 20 years to life in prison.

Deliberations began at 10 a.m., The Washington Post reported.

Guandique has denied he killed Levy, a Federal Bureau of Prisons intern when she was killed.

Levy, 24, disappeared May 1, 2001, after she went for a walk in Rock Creek Park. At the time, Levy was involved with Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif. Levy's remains were found in the park in 2002 by a man walking his dog.

In closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Amanda Haines told jurors, "It's been nine years, but you need to say the words 'Ingmar Guandique is guilty.'"

The jury has "a roomful of corroboration" for the circumstantial case against Guandique, Haines said, including the fact Guandique is serving time for two other attacks on women prosecutors say resemble the one that led to Levy's death. Haines also described in her closing argument what she presented as confessions Guandique allegedly made to a cellmate and comments he allegedly made to a female pen pal.

Guandique, 29, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, sat during the three hours of closing arguments with his head lowered and listened as a court-appointed Spanish interpreter translated the remarks, The Washington Post reported.

Defense attorney Santha Sonenberg stressed the circumstantial nature of the case, including the lack of DNA evidence and witnesses and secondhand accounts of Guandique's confessions.

"The government has a lot of excuses," Sonenberg said, and is "asking you to ignore" what she said was inconsistent forensic evidence.