Leland Chapman

Leland Blane Chapman (born December 14, 1976 in Groom, Texas, U.S.) is a Hawaiian based bail bondsman and bounty hunter. Leland Chapman is well known for appearing on the television show Dog The Bounty Hunter. Leland is the third son of the famous bounty hunter Dog the Bounty Hunter. Leland was one of the three bounty hunters who captured Max Factor's heir, Andrew Luster. The other two bounty hunters were Leland's father, Duane Dog Chapman and Tim Chapman (not related).

History

At the age of six months old Leland's father, Duane Dog Chapman was sentenced to jail for four years. Whilst his father was incarcerated Leland's parents divorced. Leland did not see his father again until he was eight years old.

During his early teenage years, Leland lived in Denver, Colorado. He was involved in the gang culture, which eventually got him into trouble with the law. In his late teens he and his father, along with some of his younger siblings moved to Hawaii, where his grandmother Barbara Chapman joined the family later and opened up a bail bonds office on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Aged twenty one, Leland started his own Bail Bond Company 'Da Kine Bail Bonds' in Kona, Hawaii after gaining his Bail Bonds license.

Personal Life

Leland has two sons, Dakota and Cobie. He divorced their mother in 2005. He divides his time between his bail bonds business and, up until 2003 he was competing in boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Extreme Boxing. However, due to injuries, he now spends his time supporting the local competitions and the local club in Kona when he is not working in the Honolulu office of Da Kine Bail Bonds and his office in Kona.

In March 2007, he was interviewed by the Stone magazine, and is quoted as saying that he 'labels himself as single' since his divorce, and continued to say "I work alot and being a single parent takes up all of my time."

Arrest

On September 14, 2006, Leland Chapman, along with his father, Duane "Dog" Chapman, and his "uncle", Tim Chapman, were arrested in Hawaii on 2003 Mexican charges concerning their involvement in the arrest of fugitive Andrew Luster. The charges were illegal detention and conspiracy in an alleged kidnapping in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico. They were held overnight in Federal custody and were released on September 15, 2006 on bond pending extradition proceedings. If extradited by the U.S. and convicted in Mexico, they were to face six months to four years in a Mexican jail.

On September 15, 2006, Leland Chapman and Tim Chapman were released on $100,000 bail, while Duane was released on a $300,000 bail. All three bounty hunters were ordered to house arrest. All three had to wear an electronic tracking device and was ordered to give up their passports. The tracking device were removed and the men were also given permission to change their bail requirements so they were able to continue to run their bail bonds business.

On February 16, 2007, the second district court in Guadalajara denied a request for an injunction preventing extradition. The court ruled that Duane, Leland and Tim should face trial on one count of "deprivation of liberty" in violation of the country's anti-bounty-hunting statutes.

Mexico reviewed Dog's case to see if they did have grounds to extradite him on a misdemeanor. There were multiple legal defense funds set up for Duane, Leland, and Tim including one set up by Tanja "Doe", a victim of Andrew Luster.

August 1st, 2007 All charges against the three bounty hunters were dropped.

October 2007, the Chapman's were told that the three bounty hunters would NOT be extradited to Mexico by American authorities.

The "Lelandism"

Leland is known for occasional off-the-wall remarks, known as "Lelandisms". Some notable examples were "Tombstones don't talk back." Season two "Not a capture, but a correction." In season four "It's not the shoes, it's the runner."

External Links

• Leland Chapman's Official Web Page