Updated at 4:40 p.m., Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Mexican prosecutors appeal dismissal of 'Dog' charges
Advertiser Staff
Mexican prosecutors have appealed a Mexican court's decision to dismiss all charges against bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, his son Leland and colleague Tim Chapman, Chapman's attorney confirmed."The next step is for us to get the case dismissed here because the Mexican trial court did dismiss the charges and rule that the Chapmans are free," Chapman's attorney Brook Hart said. "We'll be discussing the matter with the prosecutor. If the government agrees, then it will be dismissed."
The three Honolulu-based bounty hunters, who are featured on the television show "Dog the Bounty Hunter," were arrested in September by U.S. marshals in Honolulu and jailed on an extradition warrant requested by Mexico.
Prosecutors in Mexico wanted to bring them to trial because they allegedly broke Mexican law by taking now-convicted rapist and Max Factor heir Andrew Luster into custody in Mexico in 2003. Luster is serving a 124-year sentence in California.
The First Criminal Court in Puerto Vallarta dismissed all criminal charges against the Chapmans on the grounds that the statute of limitations had expired. Mexican officials automatically filed an appeal, Hart said.
"They may or may not follow through," Hart said. "If they do, we'll deal with that. Duane and (his wife) Beth are gratified that the Mexican trial court ruled in the matter the way they did and have great confidence that the appellate court will affirm the lower court decision."
