Free the Chapmans

In 2003 Duane Chapman, AKA Dog the Bounty Hunter, Leland Chapman and Tim Chapman were arrested in Mexico for the apprehension of Andrew Luster. At their own expense, they did what the Federal Government could not or would not do. They had with them a Mexican police officer (as demanded in Mexico). After the apprehension of Luster all four men were arrested by the Mexican police.

While in Mexico Andrew Luster was living under an assumed name. Luster was not extradited to the United States. He was cuffed and taken to the border where US Authorities were waiting for him. All done in a record 36 hours. Andrew Luster was expelled from Mexico because he did not have proper identification and paperwork.

The seven days spent by the Chapman’s in a Mexican jail cell, along with the public shame and humiliation of being arrested (then and now), the court costs and attorneys fees associated with this case and being placed under house arrest is certainly adequate for rehabilitation. Any thing more the Chapmans should have to endure related to this case constitutes the cruel and unusual punishment the Mexican Government claims to abhor.

In 1990 the DEA hired Mexican bounty hunters, for $50,000 to abduct a Mexican citizen, Dr. Humberto Alvarez-Machain, who was only suspected of a crime, to bring him to the United States where he could be officially charged. After a Judge determined there was not enough evidence to take Dr Humberto Alvarez-Machain to trial, he returned to Mexico. He then filed suit against the US Government and the Bounty Hunters.
These Mexican bounty hunters are currently living in the United States as a members of the witness protection program. The judgment against Jose Fransisco Sosa, one of the bounty hunters, in the amount of $25,000 was over turned by the higher courts.

The United States Government fought tooth and nail to protect itself and the Mexican bounty hunters from the monetary damages that could have been imposed by their decision to do just what the Chapmans did . They have gone out of their way to protect the lives of the Mexican bounty hunters they hired. Why is this same United States Government not fighting tooth and nail to protect the Chapman’s?

We the people of the United States of America DEMAND that the United States Government immediately exercise some common sense by refusing this extradition request and release Duane Chapman, Leland Chapman and Tim Chapman from the threat of extradition.

We the people of the United States of America DEMAND that the Mexican Government immediately exercise some common sense and drop all pending charges against the Chapman’s and release them from the threat of extradition and/or prosecution.