By KATHLEEN MILLER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A D.C. judge on Monday ordered a two-week delay in the trial of a man accused of killing federal intern Chandra Levy and barred attorneys from speaking to the media about the high-profile case.

Superior Court Judge Gerald Fisher pushed back Ingmar Guandique's trial, which was to start next Monday, to Oct. 18. Fisher said he will resolve outstanding issues in the meantime, including the prosecution's opposition to a defense expert witness expected to discuss why inmates agree to testify for prosecutors.

Levy disappeared in 2001. Her remains were found a year later in Washington's Rock Creek Park. Guandique has pleaded not guilty to the slaying and related charges. Prosecutors say they plan to call a number of "confession witnesses," alleging Guandique told numerous people he had killed Levy but changed the details of his story about her death depending on his audience.

Prosecutors also suggested one of the witnesses had been raped by Guandique in prison.

In court Monday afternoon, defense attorneys urged the judge to ban references to him being an alleged gang member. They also questioned whether the prosecution would make an issue of the defendant's tattoos, which include phrases relating to the MS-13 Salvadoran gang, a devil on the top of his head, a naked woman on his chest and an image of "Chucky" from the horror film series of the same name.

Fisher approved prosecutors' request to show photos of two of the tattoos during trial.

One of them, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Haines, "apparently has a reference to Ms. Levy in it." Prosecutors called the other one "unique" and said it will establish how close one witness was to Guandique.

Attorneys will return for one or two additional hearings before jury selection begins Oct. 18. Fisher and the lawyers for both sides have wrestled with how to select an impartial jury in a case that has received widespread attention over nine years, stemming initially from allegations that Levy had been romantically involved with married, former U.S. Rep. Gary Condit. The resulting notoriety was cited as the main cause of his re-election defeat in the March 2002 primary.

Fisher said he was placing the gag order on attorneys speaking to the press to prevent "additional problems" in the case.

"So we don't have to worry about inappropriate information out in the media," he said.