In front of a standing room only crowd, lawyers for Duane “Dog” Chapman announced that a Mexican court would delay prosecution of the bounty hunter until more evidence in the case can be presented. The announcement came during a press conference in Honolulu yesterday.
According to various media outlets, Chapman is now awaiting a ruling from a Mexican court as to whether he will have to appear at an extradition hearing. This latest chapter in the ongoing Chapman saga follows the arrest of “Dog,” his son Leland and his associate Timothy Chapman (no relation) by U.S. marshals in Hawaii in September for charges stemming from their 2003 apprehension of Max Factor cosmetics heir Andrew Luster in Mexico, where bounty hunting is illegal.
The 53-year-old bounty hunter and reality TV star told reporters that he’s eager to clear his name in Mexico and return to that country to nab more fugitives: “These guys know where to run, they know where the Dog can’t find them,” he said.
During the press conference Chapman reiterated that his team believed they were operating within Mexican law at the time. According to news reports, Chapman and his crew were originally arrested in Mexico for not turning Luster – a fugitive convicted of raping three women – over to Mexican police and then jumped bail. It was the televised arrest of Luster, which helped catapult Chapman to fame and prompted A&E to give him his on TV show, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” now in its third season.
In other “Dog” developments Chapman and his co-stars announced at Friday’s press conference that their ankle bracelets were removed last week and that they continue to film episodes of “Dog the Bounty Hunter.” In fact, the cameras haven’t stopped rolling since Chapman’s arrest last month. All the footage gathered on “Dog’s” arrest and subsequent self-described “emotional roller coaster ride” will be featured on upcoming episodes of the popular cable series.
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