The real reason why Duane Chapman chose to be a bounty hunter is one we never expected
Duane Chapman is a household name in the world of reality television. For the unversed, Chapman rose to prominence after appearing on the A&E television show 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' which revolved around his personal experiences as a bounty hunter. The reality show aired in 2008 and ran for eight seasons before getting canceled. Over the years, many have wondered how Chapman became a bounty hunter, and it might surprise you that Chapman once had landed himself on the other side of the law. He was encouraged to pick so during his time in prison, as per Nicki Swift.
In his reality series, Chapman, his family members, and other bail bondsmen tried to locate and arrest people who had broken the terms of their bail agreements. Viewers got to witness the softer side of the star— him checking whether the criminals had sustained any injuries during their arrest and even motivating the perps to bring positive changes in their lives. This was because Chapman could sympathize with them, having gone through it himself.
As per Fox News, Chapman was arrested by the cops in the 1970s after a murder conviction. He once shared, "I went through a prison — back then, you made little rocks out of big rocks. I was in a chain gang. I was there for 18 months. I realized that this was not for me. This is it...I was in prison for a charge in Texas, murder one [in first degree]... I heard the shot. I was in the car. The crime happened in the house. But back then, you didn't have the 'accessory' before, during, or after the fact. So if you stole a candy bar and you were with this guy, you're going to jail along with him. Sean, I was there, heard the shot, knew something had happened. I should have called the police on the spot. Being in a motorcycle gang, I don't think I should have. I mean, I should have now, but back then, if I would have..."
He further explained, "I did 18 months in prison. When I was in prison, I became the warden's barber, so that meant all the guards were my friends. One guy went to break and run...and I jumped him and just — the guard was going to shoot him in the back. And as the guard walked up when I was on top of the inmate apprehending him...he said, 'Hook him up, bounty hunter.'" This was a pivotal moment that would forever change the trajectory of Dog's life."
Given his good behavior in prison, Chapman had to serve only one and a half years of his five-year prison sentence. Around the same time, he also learned that he had a son named Christopher. During an interview with The National Inquirer, he explained that because Christopher's mother committed suicide while he was in prison, he had the pressure to meet the child support bills.
In light of these events, Chapman was sure he wanted to pursue a career that focused on seeking justice for criminals. His judge at the time too asked him to switch to bounty hunting to pay for child support. Chapman took the advice and ended up tracking down Andrew Lester who ran away from the United States during his trial for sexual assault. Soon after, Chapman bagged the show 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' and the rest is history.
