Updated at 4:01 p.m., Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Mexico may drop charges against Hawaii bounty hunter
Advertiser Staff
Mexican charges may have been dropped against bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman.Chapman, along with his son Leland and colleague Timothy Chapman, are accused of unlawfully depriving international fugitive and convicted serial rapist Andrew Luster of his freedom when the three caught up with him last year in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and attempted to take him to the United States. Luster is serving a 124-year sentence in California.
Chapman has been fighting extradition to Mexico in that case.
Chapman's lawyer, Brook Hart, said he has heard news reports that the charges have been dropped, but said he could not confirm the information until he reviews an English translation of a 15-page Mexican court order.
"A Mexican court issued an order according to my co-counsel, but I haven't seen an English translation of it," he said. "So tentatively it's very encouraging. On the other hand I can't make any public comment about it one way or the other other than to tell you that I believe what has happened is very positive and favorable for the Chapmans and once we get the order and translate it and determine what Mexico is doing, whether they're taking any further action and what (the U.S. attorney's office) may do in response to it, then we will certainly be able to discuss it more completely.
"All I can say is that the order that the Mexican court issued, I'm told, is based upon a finding that the statute of limitations expired and that the attempted further prosecution of the Chapmans is barred by that statute," he said.
