BOUNTY HUNTER TO STAND TRIAL IN LUSTER'S CAPTURE.Byline: Staff and Wire Services A Mexican judge on Thursday ordered American bounty hunter Name for a category of persons who are offered a promised gratuity in return for "hunting" down and capturing or killing a designated target, usually a person or animal. Duane ``Dog'' Chapman, his brother and his son to stand trial on criminal charges in the capture of convicted rapist Andrew Luster Andrew Stuart Luster (b. December 15, 1963) is the great-grandson of cosmetics giant Max Factor, Sr. and an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune who was convicted of a series of rapes in 2003. For much of his life, he was supported by a $3. . In Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta (pwār`tō väyär`tä), city (1990 pop. 93,503), Jalisco state, W Mexico. Located on the expansive Bahía de Banderas [Bay of Flags], Puerto Vallarta has been used since the 16th cent. , Judge Jose de Jesus Pineda freed two Americans, actor Boris Krutonog of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and producer Jeff Sells, but found that the Chapmans should be charged with criminal association and deprivation of liberty - similar to kidnapping without requesting a ransom. Chapman's wife, Beth Smith Alice Elizabeth Smith, also known as Beth Smith, Beth Chapman, and Alice Barmore (born on October 29, 1967 in Denver, Colorado) is the fifth wife of bounty hunter Duane Chapman. , said the men's families were dismayed by the judge's ruling. ``Three women are in mourning,'' she said. ``We can't even talk right now.'' Krutonog said he was disappointed that the Chapmans were not released but said he was relieved to be heading home. ``It's a wonderful feeling,'' he said in a telephone interview. ``I can't wait to go home to my kids.'' Chapman, 50, his brother Timothy and his son Leland, along with Sells and Krutonog, were arrested June 18, about two hours after the group captured Luster on a Puerto Vallarta street. Luster, an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics fortune, had been on the run since Jan. 3, when he fled his Ventura County trial for drugging and raping three women and videotaping the encounters. He was returned last week to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and is incarcerated incarcerated /in·car·cer·at·ed/ (in-kahr´ser-at?ed) imprisoned; constricted; subjected to incarceration. in·car·cer·at·ed adj. Confined or trapped, as a hernia. in Wasco State Prison, serving a 124-year sentence. The Chapmans reportedly were leading the hunt for Luster while Sells and Krutonog were filming it. Mexican prosecutors maintain the Americans should have gone to police instead of trying to capture Luster themselves. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Krutonog's attorney, James Blancarte, the judge realized that his client ``was witnessing and documenting a newsworthy event. That was the distinction the judge drew.'' The Chapmans each could face up to eight years in prison if convicted on all charges. ``The evidence justifies that they remain in prison on charges that they committed these crimes,'' Pineda told The Associated Press minutes before he made the ruling. Pineda's ruling means the Chapmans will not be allowed to leave Mexico and will have to check in with the judge every Monday. The case will now be handed over to a judge in Guadalajara, 215 miles from Puerto Vallarta, a process that is expected to take several weeks. Meanwhile, Ventura County prosecutors were considering whether to bring new charges against Luster after a woman from Placer County filed suit, claiming she had been raped and drugged by him. |
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