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Duane Chapman

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Dog Chapman and wife Beth during their visit aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

Duane Lee "Dog" Chapman (born February 1, 1953) is a bounty hunter who lives in Hawaii. He lists numerous captures on his website.

Earlier Life

He was raised in Denver, Colorado, by his father, a Navy welder, who, by Chapman's account, was verbally and physically abusive, and his mother, a missionary and minister for the Assemblies of God. Chapman subsequently joined a motorcycle gang, the Devil's Disciples, that reportedly had a distaste for blacks, although Chapman himself claims not to be a racist once on the Montel Williams Show. According to Chapman, another gang member, Donny Kirkandall, murdered pimp and drug dealer Jerry Lee Oliver, a crime for which Chapman was found in complicity by a Texas judge. Chapman has reportedly been arrested at least 18 times.[1]

Prison

In 1977, Chapman was sentenced to five years of hard labor and served two of those years before being paroled in 1979. Before his sentencing, Chapman had married, sired at least one child, and divorced a woman named LaFonda. Because of this fact, Chapman owed money for child support. The judge in charge of handling the child support case asked Chapman to catch a fugitive for $200, thus launching his bounty-hunting career.

Career

On June 18, 2003, Chapman made news with his hunt and capture of cosmetics heir Andrew Luster, who had been convicted in absentia of poisoning and rape after fleeing to Mexico. However, the situation quickly became very complicated. Mexican authorities demanded that the Luster "hunt team" of Duane, Tim Chapman (who is not related to Duane, but he often refers to Tim as his brother), and Leland (Duane's son) transfer Luster over to the Mexican police. When the hunt team refused, they were charged by Mexican authorities for breaking extradition laws. On July 3, 2003, they were officially declared "fugitives" by a spokesman for the Mexican Government, after they left Mexico without obtaining permission from the presiding judge to leave the country. However, the charges were eventually dropped. The producers of the movie "A Date with Darkness, The Trial and Capture of Andrew Luster", did a spoof of Dog and his boys catching Luster. He has said that, if given permission from the United States government, he would attempt to collect a bounty on terrorist Osama Bin Laden.

Chapman stars in Dog The Bounty Hunter, weekly reality television program broadcast Tuesdays on A&E Network, featuring a theme song by Ozzy Osbourne.

Chapman's public relation skills have proven adept at changing what historically was an unpopular career into celebrity. Even so, some of his colleagues do not approve of his style or methods. Penny Harding, who is the executive director of the California Bail Agents Association said, "He represents all of the things that bail agents are trying to get away from - the cowboy image, the renegade, bring 'em home dead or alive." [2] Others in the industry criticized his crossing the border into Mexico to kidnap Luster - saying that crossing into foreign countries is not something they condone. One bail agent said that he would not hire someone like Chapman because of concerns over civil liability.

In the episode "It's Good to Be Home" Duane Chapman reveals that he is 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) and uses customized boots to enhance his stature to 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m).

Personal life

Chapman married Beth Smith, his girlfriend for sixteen years, on May 20, 2006 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island in Hawaii. They have two children together:

  • Bonnie Jo Chapman, born c. 1998/1999
  • Gary Chapman, born c. 2000/2001

Chapman has several children from previous relationships:

  • Duane Lee Chapman II: 1/21/1973,
  • Leland Chapman: 12/14/1976
  • Lyssa "Baby" Chapman, born c. 1988
  • Tucker Chapman, now serving 20 years on a drug charge
  • Christopher Chapman
  • Barbara Katy Chapman, born in Denver, Colorado, died May 19, 2006[3]
  • Wesley Chapman

Chapman also has one stepchild:

  • Cecily (Barmore) Chapman, born c.1992/1993 (Beth Smith's child by Keith Barmore)

References

  1. ^ NNDB biography
  2. ^ Jablon, Robert - 'Bounty Hunters Assail Duane 'Dog' Chapman' Page Accessed: January 8, 2005. Associated Press, June 20, 2003
  3. ^ Associated Press, Daughter of TV Bounty Hunter 'Dog' Dies, May 20, 2006
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