US congressman Mr Gary Condit passed a lie detector test in which he denied harming missing intern Chandra Levy - but Washington police have dismissed the test as "theatricals''.
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US Congressman Mr Gary Condit
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The politician passed the polygraph examination, commissioned by his lawyer and administered by a retired FBI expert, but police in Washington DC said they believed the test was "self-serving'' and part of a game.
During the test, he was asked: "Did you harm Chandra Levy? Do you know where Chandra Levy is? Did you ask someone else to harm Chandra Levy?'' He answered "No'' to each question.
His lawyer Mr Abbe Lowell said: "The congressman was not deceptive in any way and in fact had a probability of deception of one-hundredth of one percent in the questions that mattered.''
But Assistant Police Chief Terry Gainer, who is leading the investigation into the 24-year-old intern's mystery disappearance, said he was ``disappointed'' by the test.
Speaking on Fox News, he was asked if he had ever come across a lawyer commissioning a lie detector test for a client who is not considered a suspect. The police officer replied: "That is a new one on me. Pretty self-serving too.
"We understand the theatricals, we understand his tactics, but I think it is a little disingenuous. Obviously they have their own game plan, and I emphasise a game, and frankly we are a little tired of it.
"I am a bit disappointed", he said.
Mr Condit admitted last week he had been having an affair with Ms Levy, who was last seen on April 30th in Washington, after twice denying to police he was involved with the intern.
He has also handed over DNA evidence to detectives and FBI which they will use in tests on blood found after a search of his apartment building earlier this week.
Authorities are still deciding if Mr Condit should face charges for attempting to obstruct justice over the claims. The lie-detector test came as police said they had searched more than 70 empty buildings in Washington in the search for the 24-year-old missing woman.
Ms Levy was last seen when she cancelled her membership of a Washington gym before flying home to graduate from university.
She did not arrive home and when police broke into her apartment they found her bags packed, with her tickets and purse beside them.
PA