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Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High Rating

As readers know, I've been following the case of Duane Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, and his arrest in Hawaii last week on an extradition warrant from Mexico stemming from his capture of convicted rapist Andrew Luster there a few years ago. He posted bail the following day and now awaits further proceedings.

Last night, A&E aired a special show featuring Dog and his wife Beth. A&E reports today (received by e-mail, no link yet):

Tuesday night's special on A&E Network, Dog: The Family Speaks reached 1.5 million A18-34 viewers and 2.9 million A18-49 viewers, making it the top A&E telecast in the history of the network for both demos. The special also delivered 2.6 million A25-54 viewers.

Why the interest? Is it all about Dog, or is there some politics mixed in? One of those involved in marketing the special added these thoughts in an e-mail:

I think what happened sparked a deeper cord in many of us that are frustrated with our current administration and only helps us with a "regime change" in 08. Sure, I work for a marketing company and was asked to spread the word about this program but regardless I also agree with what many of you have been writing on your blogs and websites. What happened is not right, regardless of if its a bigger than life TV personality. This wasn't about Dog. This was about what could happen when our government turns its back on us.

You can still show voice your thoughts at the online petition setup which currently has over 50,000 signatures!

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    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#9)
    by eric on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 11:47:54 AM EST
    This was about what could happen when our government turns its back on us. Good grief. What in the world does the arrest of this dog character have to do with government turning its back on us?

    Your theory about the government "turning its back" on Dog is about as legitimate as those who say the Mexican government wants to try him because the president sent the National Guard to the border. Put the bong down. It's not healthy for you.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#21)
    by Che's Lounge on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 01:42:32 PM EST
    In the next episode, The Dog busts himself for skipping bail in Mexico. Truth surely is stranger than fiction.

    Yeah, I agree with the other commentors. Bounty hunters in general exist in the grey areas of American law in the first place, taking advantage of ineffectual policing to make money. This guy is 10 times the normal joke because he actually uses the disadvantage of others as a basis for a television show which bears a striking resemblance, by anyone's standards, to "The Running Man."

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#2)
    by owenz on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 03:13:34 PM EST
    I watched the show for a few minutes the other night. "Dog" and his buddies busted a meth dealer, the proceeded to bring their cameras into the meth dealer's house (they had permission from his girlfriend) and rifle through every piece of evidence in the place. They were rummaging through drawers, moving around chemicals, and basically contaminating every piece of evidence they came in contact with. Why? In order to pretend they were real cops, rather than the bounty hunters they are. They were so proud to pretend that their motivation was cleaning up the streets (rather than money).

    Americans have alwy liked watching thugs. "Bounty hunters" are the scum of the country. They terrorize the innocent, destroy property and indulge in mindless violence with impunity all behind the shield of an obsolete law and a perverted supreme court judgement that legalized vigilantism. The adoration of these thugs is by the same people who believe that TV wrestling is real and that the present junta cares about the average american. The bounty hunters all deserve a couple of years in a mexican, turkish or iraqi prisons.

    The quaint practice of 'bounty hunter' along with 'mercenary' should be crimes in the USA. Apparently, Mexico has a criminal statute that Duane Chapman violated; he should be extradited to Mexico.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#5)
    by Al on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 03:13:34 PM EST
    Help me understand this. Does Mexico allow private bounty hunters to capture someone? If not, are not foreigners bound to abide by Mexico's laws while in Mexican territory? And is the US not bound to extradite someone who is accused of breaking the law in Mexico?

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#6)
    by Punchy on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 03:13:34 PM EST
    Can someone please tell me what's "not right" about all of this? Yes, the guy captured a rapist. Great. But in the meantime, he broke some very serious laws. In another country! What if some Italian came to America and whacked some dirty mobsters, only to jump bail and claim that in Italy, whacking the mob is allowed? Does that change the fact that murder in America is illegal? I'm pretty sure we'd have him extradicted! So what's the diff here? Are we glad the mob is dead? Yeah. Will we let this happen thru illegal means? I highly doubt it. Thus, Mexico's argument. Sorry DOG, you broke the law, now deal with it.

    There is no such thing as bounty hunting in Mexico, such activity is listed as kidnapping, no matter who is involved. When you enter another country, you do not take the rights of the USA with you, you must play by their rules. Dog broke the rules. When the flag changes, usually so do the laws.

    My crystal ball says Bush and Rove will use this crisis as fodder by coming to Dog's rescue and dramatically "saving him" from making a trip south. Stay tuned.

    Glad this guy finally got a taste of his own medicine. Looks like he can dish it out but not take it. What a wimp!

    well being that Dog is a hard core republican with a picture of Bush in his office. The guy also prays to Jesus before who goes and busts down doors. Yeah , there's politics in this. GOP politics, dog is the good guy who brought to justice the bad guy and is now being arrested by the government of that country that sends it's citizens to the US illegally. get it.

    Thank you, Eric!! I was beginning to think that I am the only one who doesn't get the uproar. The only government back-turning we should be upset about would be whether and how U.S. authorities were pursuing Luster into Mexico and getting him properly extradicted. (And, frankly, I do not know the details of the search for Luster.) But in Chapman's case, the man - i.e., Dog - broke the law!! It's as simple as that - well, that and the fact that he skipped bail after he'd been arrested for breaking the law!! If I recall correctly, there was an episode of "Dog, the Bounty Hunter" some time ago where the team tracked a fugitive out of state (Hawaii) to the mainland, and they were very careful to co-ordinate with local police authorities and abide by all applicable laws. They caught the guy! So, Dog knows how to nab his man and do it in a lawful manner. But in this case, Dog et al. entered a foreign country and circumvented the law and the local authorities to get their man. Granted, a very, very bad man who very much deserved "getting". But, if Dog is so much about upholding the law and catching lawbreakers, then...why all the uproar? Face the music, plead for mercy -- and Dog's celebrity should by a lot of mercy -- and if it doesn't go well, take your medicine.

    Mr. Chapman, who is a reputable bail bondsman and bounty hunter, went to Mexico, caught and brought to justice a fugitive serial rapist who had been convicted in absentia in the U.S. when he fled his own trial. The Mexican law enforcement authorities were notified, but their bureaucracy got tangled up in itself and Mr. Chapman and his associates were arrested as he apprehended the fugitive. The fugitive was extradicted back to U.S. justice and after some media intervention Mr. Chapman's group was set free and allowed to return home to the U.S. The fugitive was imprisoned on his original sentence in the U.S. Mr. Chapman figured the whole thing was over with. Three years later, U.S. marshalls show up without any prior notice at Mr. Chapman's home and drag him off in handcuffs and chains. They are supposedly serving a warrant for the Mexican government on a misdemeanor charge that is something like "depriving a person of being able to walk around freely" but for which Chapman and his associates could be extradicted and held ad infinitum in a Mexican jail. Now you tell me, the U.S. government couldn't have in three years diplomatically cleared up for Mr. Chapman the mess that was caused by this fugitive rapist running off to hide from his trial at a Mexican beach resort, which mess Mr. Chapman solved for all of us at the risk of his own life? Even at the last minute, no one in the Marshalls or the State department or Justice thought of just calling Mr. Chapman's lawyer to come in and talk about it before they dragged him off? Our government couldn't bother finding the rapist themselves and Mr. Chapman suffers for doing it for them.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#14)
    by ScottW on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 03:13:34 PM EST
    Eric, Let's see, helping Mexico extradite a man who brought back a serial rapist ? I don't think he should go unpunished, but to take him from his home and hand him over to Mexico seems more then turning our back, it's aiding. Slap him with a fine and call it a day. How would you feel if went to Mexico and found a US fugitive, only to have the US come into your home and send you off to Mexico. I doubt the Mexican authorities are so cooperative.

    Jeralyn, I really can't believe your position on this guy. He goes into another country and kidnaps -- yes, kidnaps, I refuse to dignify it with the word "apprehends" -- someone, against the laws of that country, and skips out on his trial for breaking those laws -- and this is all OK in your book because Luster happened to be an extremely bad guy. I'm stunned at your lack of respect for the law and your "ends justify the means" attitude. It's a moral philosophy quite worthy of George Bush, frankly.

    does any one understand he broke the law. his job is to arrest people who JUMP BAIL.why are him and his wife acting like they dont know why they were arrested?they skipped out on thier court date for crying out loud.period.sorry i have no sympathy for hyppocrites.he should have went to court.he says he thought the charges were dropped, im sorry but a defendant KNOWS IF HIS CHARGES HAVE BEEN DROPPED

    My first thought is that we Americans get such a rush from TV shows, like Dog, or COPS, that deal with the violation of rights of the accused. No pity for one of these guys. However, he's claiming that he's being traded by our government for criminals in Mexico (don't all of those criminals claim that?) I wouldn't put anything past this administration at this point.

    Good grief. What in the world does the arrest of this dog character have to do with government turning its back on us? Government convicts wealthy rapist. Government lets rapist flee to country where extradition to U.S. is next to impossible. Private citizen brings rapist back himself. Government allows extradition of said private citizen to country that wouldn't send back rapist in the first place. Hope This Helps.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#19)
    by nolo on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 03:13:34 PM EST
    It was clear to me, eric -- whether it resonates with you or not, there are many people out there who will see the U.S. turning Dog over to the Mexican government as an instance in which the U.S. government failed to stand up for a little guy (so to speak) who was just doing the right thing. Oh, and thanks to the Powers That Be for deleting Repack's weird little sexist remark.

    Eric -just one warning: do NOT disparage The Dog. Chapman was arrested by Federal Marshalls for breaking Mexican law when capturing a convicted rapist. The Justice Dept should have told Mexico to pound sand - the corrupt Mexican Govt was harboring a US fugitive because he was rich.

    Let's all take a deep breath. First, let us keep in mind that "Dog" did break Mexican law and Mexico has a right to demand that people who break their laws and reside in the US be returned to Mexico for trial. Second, it is an entirely seperate issue about the rapist the "Dog" abducted in Mexico and brought to the US for trial. While "Dog" may be motivated by some sense of justice denied, I would imagine that the real motivation is money. He's on teevee gang. Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooo? Lastly, that the US Government wasn't doing it's job... gee that's a shocker. Why not direct all this outrage toward AG Albert "I don't need no stinking Constitution" Gonzalaz. Mr Gonzalaz hasn't caught a terrorist or managed to convict a terrorist even after five years of this bogus "Wag on Terror" and all the extrordanary (ney unconstitutional) powers he's been given. He is Michael Brown with a badge. Be afraid. Be outraged. Vote.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#24)
    by cpinva on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 03:13:34 PM EST
    what it says is that these viewer's lives are so utterly dull and worthless, that watching Dog represents a step up on the food chain for them. truly a pathetic group. so, jeralyn, you've so far avoided answering my question: are you going to provide legal services for this "hero of mankind"?

    Dog helped the US bring Andrew Luster, a convicted serial date rapist, to justice by capturing him in Mexico and bringing him to the US to carry out his sentence. Now, Mexico is saying that Dog had no right to take Luster from its jurisdiction, and sought the US's assistance in capturing Dog and bringing the bounty hunter to Mexico to stand trial. Instead of backing its own citizen, or at least giving him the due process right to defend himself the US government decided to stab Dog in the back and let Mexico lock him up and put him through their backward-ass justice system. Apparently Steve has a soft spot for serial rapists.

    THe issue is that the US Government used our tax dollars to serve a warrant for the Mexican government. A country that does not do the same for us. I mean Dog went to Mexico to bring back a convicted rapist and the U.S government sends him off to a mexican prison for it. That is what is meant by the government turning its back on its citizens. No Bong used partner!

    I watched Dog's show a couple of times and generally liked it. He's a bad-guy-gone-straight and (at least on his show) is trying to help the people he catches, even spending money out of his own pocket. He's an asset to America. That said, if it truly is against Mexican law to bounty-hunt down there, then he broke the law. Doesn't matter that he grabbed one of the most worthless excuses for a human being there is; he could have gone after Idi Amin, it still would be against the law. I imagine that whatever licenses he holds as a bail bondsman hold no force in Mexico; it is a sovereign nation. So it appears, as a purely legal question, that Mexico is within its rights to request he be extradited. That doesn't mean the U.S. has to agree to extradite him. We have reciprocal extradition treaties with Mexico and they refuse to extradite fugitive criminals under OUR laws all the time; for example, the guy Dog went and snatched (I am assuming we tried to have him extradited). Or Guillermo Morales, who fled to Mexico after being linked to a string of bombings in New York in the 70's; Mexico denied extradition of Morales. There are numerous murderous drug traffickers the U.S. would like to extradite from Mexico, yet in no case has their extradition been forthcoming. Mexico's history of honoring our extradition requests has been, needless to say, abysmal. I hope the extradition judge takes that into account. What is Dog's position on all this? I didn't see the A&E special, I hope they re-run it.

    Aside from the enduring question of whether the Mexican authorities were inclined to "locate" Luster in advance of extradition, I only can say that Dog seems sincere, Dog makes mistakes, Dog means well. Jeralyn, how often have you noticed that shots of Dog at his office desk always feature the official White House photo of Bush. Beth has been adamant that her husband is being used in a trade-off between Departments of Justice. Do you feel that even if this issue's resolved in their favor in an American court that such a picture will be featured anywhere near as much on the show?

    Hmm. Good precedent here. Indian gov't sends bounty hunter to apprehend Chairman of Union Carbide for murder in Bhopal gas escape and bring him back to New Delhi for trial. Chile sends bounty hunter to apprehend Henry Kissinger for overthrowing Allende and bring him back to Santiago for trial. Afghanistan sends bounty hunter to apprehend Dick Cheney, George Bush, George Tenet, Porter Goss, Don Rumsfeld for war crimes and bring them back to Kabul for trial. Ditto Iraq ditto Baghdad. I think you catch my drift...

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#34)
    by John Mann on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 07:03:58 PM EST
    During a commercial break on "Great Curling Matches of the 1950s" I watched two or three minutes of the special. Dog sure has a nice house. It's not hard to see why the "little person" identifies with him.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#37)
    by Che's Lounge on Thu Sep 21, 2006 at 10:10:26 PM EST
    Initially I was outraged at his arrest. But as I learn the details I'm confused as to whether Dog was just ignoring Mexican law, which is contrary to his very profession, or whether he had bad or no legal representation. So he made some retirement money off of a TV show. He knows and we know that won't last forever. He's gettin his mains before the train pulls out. He could also be used as a trade to get the Arrejano Felix brother recently captured while fishing off of Baja. But I doubt that Mexico has any interest in jailing a US folk hero for long. Probably cost a hefty sum to make this all go away.

    We know Chapman broke Mexican law. The question now is whether or not the Feds should extradite. Based on Mexico's lack of cooperation in extraditing those who have committed crimes in the US, why should we cooperate with them? In fact, Chapman's 'crime' probably resulted from a couple of bribes to Mexican officials to maintain his freedom. If not for Chapman's actions, Luster might not have been brought to justice, regardless of his motivations. I thought this was interesting.
    So why Mexico? With so many places in America for criminals to hide, why do some opt to make their run south of the border? For one thing, Mexico routinely declines to extradite suspects facing life in prison or the death penalty. Mexico's Supreme Court, which favors rehabilitation and views capital punishment and no-parole sentences as cruel, has blocked numerous extraditions until U.S. authorities agreed to lower the potential punishment a suspect faced in an American court. Another reason is the perception that Mexico is relatively lawless. Reports of corruption and bribery are still widespread and a well-financed fugitive can sometimes pass some pesos to get an underpaid, overworked small-town Mexican cop to look the other way.


    Ummm, "folk hero"? Heh.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#39)
    by mattniles on Fri Sep 22, 2006 at 10:16:00 AM EST
    Well dog I guess you should take down that picture of W on your desk. Considering he gave you up to this new righty regime in Mexico.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#30)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 22, 2006 at 11:40:04 AM EST
    Live by the cuffs, die by the cuffs. I have no sympathy for lackeys of the state, turnkeys, bounty hunters, kidnappers...whatever you wanna call it.

    I'm kind of fascinated by the negative comments regarding "Dog". They float somewhere between derisive and dismissive and outright hostile, not only to "Dog" and his family, but to the folks that watch the show. Some people have laid out the case pretty well, making sure to point out that, yeah, "Dog" did break the laws of Mexico, but the reaction and lack of action for his benefit is troubling, to say the least. Let's say "Dog" was Juan Cole, or Noam Chomsky. Or William Burroughs. What would your reaction be. Be honest with yourself, I don't really care how you defend your language. I just find this kind of an interesting class issue.

    So... to those of you who think its bad to extradite someone who has committed a crime in another country... ...would it have been OK if some Mexican "bounty hunter" had come to the US and grabbed "Dog" and taken him back to Mexico to face justice? For that matter, how many of you would be OK with "bounty hunters" from Mexico or any other country being able to nab people in the US and secret them away to other lands?

    Dog the Bounty Hunter is a misnomer. He is in actuality a bail bondsman. What you see on the tv show is he and his company, Da Kine Bail Bonds, "arresting" the people for whom his company has posted bail bonds but who have in someway violated the conditions of their bond. It could be that the person has committed a new crime, or failed to appear at a court hearing, or that the person who guaranteed the bail bond now wants to withdraw that surety. If a defendant out on a bail bond somehow violates the conditions of the bond, then the court issues a warrant for the defendant's arrest and conditionally forfeits the bail bond. The bond company then has a period of time, typically 30 days or so, to produce the defendant. If the bondsman fails to produce the defendant, then the bondsman (e.g. Dog's company) is financially liable to pay the forfeited bail. Bail bondsmen play a very important role in the US judicial system. But for the bondsmen, many criminal defendants would languish in jail awaiting trial because of their inability to raise the CASH to post bond. However, because a bondsman like Dog is willing to accept the risk that the defendant will abide by their conditions of bail, and appear in court as ordered, the bondsman will typically accept a fee (usually 10%) from the defendant and post his/her bail in the form of a bond or surety. Bondsmen are licensed and regulated by the individual states. When you watch the show, you will often hear Dog or Beth talking about how much this defendant could cost them because they have posted a large bail bond. The irony is that bondsmen, including Dog, often repost a new bond for the defendant after they have violataed a bail condition, been arrested and brought before a judge and a new bail amount established. Dog is a businessman, who makes his money posting bail bonds for a fee. It's all about risk management. As an experienced criminal defense lawyer, I and my clients appreciate the services offered by bail bondsmen. Finally, the reason they search defendants when they "arrest" them is to make certain that they don't catch any additional charges when they are returned to custody of law enforcement. If they simply missed a court date, chances are they will be able to repost a bail bond. New charges, especially drug charges, e.g. "ice", are likely to result in revocation of bail, which means being held without bail.

    Didn't dog help send his son to prison? Where's all the tough love now? Previous posters already said everything else.

    Re: Dog the Bounty Hunter Special: All-Time High R (none / 0) (#41)
    by Jo on Sat Sep 23, 2006 at 06:20:17 PM EST
    What I don't understand is how Mexico has the gall, the nerve to stand and say, "How dare you come into our country and break the law". Give me a freakin break. Their citizens come into the US every day, at all hours of the day and break multiple US laws, and the Mexican government not only knows but condones it. Seriously, give me a break!!!!

    I dont understand how stupid the Mexcio police are!For the strenght, and courage that Dog,Leland, and Tim had to go to Mexico and catch Andrew Luster was one of the most heroic thing's that they had done.They had captured a rapist that harming women left and right.So I Thank GOD for the Chapman Family and hope and pray, that they get it through their heads that they are a wonderful, loving blessed family and that they did NO harm, and made this world a better place.So ALL charges should be dropped from them and a HEROIC REWARD should be given to them. God Bless ya'll and wish ya'll the Best of Luck!!Love Ya'll.

    No offense, but the previous comments are sophomoric, at best. duane Chapman is NOT a Licensed Bail Bondsman...period. If he was, perhaps he would be familiar with how to make an arrest on foreign soil. The warrant for the rapist was NCIC Nationwide; he stood accused of a CAPITAL CRIME, so why didn't the bondsmen in his group contact the US MARSHAL SERVICE office located INSIDE MEXICO, provide the Marshals with the warrant for them to verify so that they, the Marshals could make the arrest in conjunction with Mexican Federales, who co-operate with the Marshal Service!?! He wanted the money and the fame, and he got both in the end. However, he must face the crime he is alleged of committing while in Mexico, where he skipped court once already; justice is what America is all about. This country didn't turn its back on Dog AT ALL; Dog CHOSE to do illegally what the Marshal Service could've done legally. He f***ed up on his own