Dog Chapman may be charged with felonies, Tim Chapman acquitted by judge

Duane “Dog” Chapman may be in the doghouse yet again.

DENVER – A public defender is demanding that TV bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman be charged with felonies for claiming that a man fired a gun at him and his crew while they were filming in Colorado Springs last month.

Attorney William Schoewe alleges Chapman and others made up the claim to boost publicity for the A&E reality show “Dog The Bounty Hunter.” Prosecutors dropped charges against a suspect, saying the evidence was insufficient.

I no longer watch Dog (and haven’t in years) so I haven’t seen that episode, and I haven’t read the police reports, so I don’t know exactly what was said or who said it.  What I do recall from news reports, however, is that police found no evidence at the scene supporting Dog’s claim that the suspect had shot at him.

Someone must have told police that the man shot at Dog, though, since charges were brought against him.  Without a statement, and without evidence at the scene, the police had no probable cause to charge him with that crime.

If anyone has a link to Dog’s statement to police, or to that episode of the show, please post it.  I’d be interested to know exactly what the police were told, and who said it, as well as how the situation was presented on his show.

In other Dog news, Dog’s brother-from-another-mother Tim Chapman was found not guilty by a judge with regard to misdemeanor indecent exposure charges. The judge specifically found that the prosecutor didn’t prove that Tim intentionally exposed himself.

A felony charge of terroristic threatening, due to Tim driving out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell and almost running over a security guard when he was caught with his pants down (literally), was previously dropped.  Tim blamed that part of it on …wait for it … Beth Chapman.  He was allegedly worried about what she would say.

I have to admit, that’s actually possible, LOL.

Though Tim Chapman blasted prosecutors for what he termed “a waste of taxpayers’ money”, the prosecutor stated that she still believes he intentionally exposed himself.

Chapman states that he fought the charge because his wife recently filed for divorce, and he is trying to get custody of his two young children, but an indecent exposure conviction would get in the way of that goal.

Given the undisputed facts of the indecent exposure case though – that he was clearly seen in his vehicle, in a public parking lot in broad daylight, with no pants or underwear on – it’s still very doubtful he could get custody.  Even if one believes Tim’s version of events (that he was just changing his clothes because he spilled orange juice on himself) it still shows extremely poor judgment on his part.

Nevertheless, I don’t think there’s any doubt that he loves his kids and that they love him, so it’s a shame that he and his estranged wife can’t just work things out for the benefit of their children.

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Dog’s “brother” Innocent
• Meet Arguably NHL’s Biggest MMA Fan: Boston Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas
• ’Facebook killer’ in court
• ’Dog’ On Catching Criminals