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<STYLE>.DoNotDisplay { display: none; }</STYLE>Marni Soupcoff on Tucker Chapman
According to Dog the Bounty Hunter's lawyer, it was Dog's son Tucker Chapman who taped the now notorious private conversation he had with his Dad, then sold the audio of Dog using the N-word to the National Enquirer. (If you haven't been following Dog's descent into the public dog house, see my previous post on the subject.)
That's not terribly surprising. Given that only two people participated in the phone call, and one of those people comes off looking like a total idiot in it, Tucker was certainly the prime suspect for having pawned the thing off to a tabloid.
What I wonder, though: What about laws against wiretapping? It was this kind of taping that got Linda Tripp into trouble when she recorded her phone conversation with Monica Lewinsky. Since Maryland has a law that forbids taping a phone call without the other party's permission, the state tried to prosecute Tripp for the Lewinsky tapes. In the end, the prosecution was complicated by the fact that Tripp had made an immunity agreement with Ken Starr's office and that the prosecution's star witness was the less than credible Lewinsky.
But what about a case against Tucker Chapman's case, which presumably does not suffer from the same impediments?
I did a bit of research, trying to find out what Tucker's state of residence is. The closest I got to an answer was this Associated Press story, which mentions that there is a Honolulu phone number listed under Tucker's name. If he's indeed covered under Hawaii's jurisdiction, then I wonder if Tucker is in violation of §711-1111 of Hawaii's Code, Violation of privacy in the second degree.
The statute is a bit confusing. (Or maybe it's just been too long since I've practiced law.) But from what I can tell, Tucker might have a problem. The Code seems to say that someone who records a phone conversation without the permission of both parties is criminally liable. On the other hand, the Code's commentary says: "If one of the parties to the communication authorizes its interception or recordation (e.g., in an attempt to trace obscene or extortionary telephone calls), criminal sanctions ought not to result."
Hmmmm. Tucker certainly authorized the recordation (what a word). But his motives were a little less pure than trying to trace an obscene caller. (Not that Dog's language was exactly pure and virtuous, but you know what I mean.) I guess we'll have to wait and see whether Hawaiian prosecutors think a crime has been committed.
One question to chew on in the mean time: If Tucker gets convicted and jumps bail and Dog has to hunt him down, will A&E revoke its suspension of Dog's television program? Because that's an episode that would be too good to miss
Friday, November 2, 2007 - 2:20 PM HAST
Network pulls 'Dog' Chapman TV show
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Duane "Dog" Chapman's tape-recorded tirade has cost him his TV show.
"Dog the Bounty Hunter" has been pulled off the air by A&E, the cable network announced Friday. The network stopped short of saying the show was canceled, apparently leaving open the possibility of a return with new episodes or reruns.
"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take Dog The Bounty Hunter off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future," A&E said in prepared statement. "We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun."
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Yum Brands, which advertised Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut on "Dog the Bounty Hunter," had pulled all of its ads, calling Chapman's comments "despicable."
Production of the Hawaii-based reality show was suspended earlier this week after it was reported that Chapman made repeated racial slurs in a tape-recorded phone conversation with his son, Tucker.
"Dog the Bounty Hunter" went on the air in 2004 and was one of A&E's highest rated shows, averaging 1.2 million viewers in primetime.
Chapman, who owns Da Kine Bail Bonds in downtown Honolulu, has apologized for repeatedly using a racial slur to refer to his son's girlfriend, who is African American.
The Associated Press reported on Friday that Tucker Chapman taped the phone call with his father, and sold it to the National Enquirer, which posted the tape on its Web site on Wednesday.
<STYLE>.DoNotDisplay { display: none; }</STYLE>Marni Soupcoff on Tucker Chapman
According to Dog the Bounty Hunter's lawyer, it was Dog's son Tucker Chapman who taped the now notorious private conversation he had with his Dad, then sold the audio of Dog using the N-word to the National Enquirer. (If you haven't been following Dog's descent into the public dog house, see my previous post on the subject.)
That's not terribly surprising. Given that only two people participated in the phone call, and one of those people comes off looking like a total idiot in it, Tucker was certainly the prime suspect for having pawned the thing off to a tabloid.
What I wonder, though: What about laws against wiretapping? It was this kind of taping that got Linda Tripp into trouble when she recorded her phone conversation with Monica Lewinsky. Since Maryland has a law that forbids taping a phone call without the other party's permission, the state tried to prosecute Tripp for the Lewinsky tapes. In the end, the prosecution was complicated by the fact that Tripp had made an immunity agreement with Ken Starr's office and that the prosecution's star witness was the less than credible Lewinsky.
But what about a case against Tucker Chapman's case, which presumably does not suffer from the same impediments?
I did a bit of research, trying to find out what Tucker's state of residence is. The closest I got to an answer was this Associated Press story, which mentions that there is a Honolulu phone number listed under Tucker's name. If he's indeed covered under Hawaii's jurisdiction, then I wonder if Tucker is in violation of §711-1111 of Hawaii's Code, Violation of privacy in the second degree.
The statute is a bit confusing. (Or maybe it's just been too long since I've practiced law.) But from what I can tell, Tucker might have a problem. The Code seems to say that someone who records a phone conversation without the permission of both parties is criminally liable. On the other hand, the Code's commentary says: "If one of the parties to the communication authorizes its interception or recordation (e.g., in an attempt to trace obscene or extortionary telephone calls), criminal sanctions ought not to result."
Hmmmm. Tucker certainly authorized the recordation (what a word). But his motives were a little less pure than trying to trace an obscene caller. (Not that Dog's language was exactly pure and virtuous, but you know what I mean.) I guess we'll have to wait and see whether Hawaiian prosecutors think a crime has been committed.
One question to chew on in the mean time: If Tucker gets convicted and jumps bail and Dog has to hunt him down, will A&E revoke its suspension of Dog's television program? Because that's an episode that would be too good to miss
Friday, November 2, 2007 - 2:20 PM HAST
Network pulls 'Dog' Chapman TV show
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Duane "Dog" Chapman's tape-recorded tirade has cost him his TV show.
"Dog the Bounty Hunter" has been pulled off the air by A&E, the cable network announced Friday. The network stopped short of saying the show was canceled, apparently leaving open the possibility of a return with new episodes or reruns.
"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take Dog The Bounty Hunter off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future," A&E said in prepared statement. "We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun."
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Yum Brands, which advertised Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut on "Dog the Bounty Hunter," had pulled all of its ads, calling Chapman's comments "despicable."
Production of the Hawaii-based reality show was suspended earlier this week after it was reported that Chapman made repeated racial slurs in a tape-recorded phone conversation with his son, Tucker.
"Dog the Bounty Hunter" went on the air in 2004 and was one of A&E's highest rated shows, averaging 1.2 million viewers in primetime.
Chapman, who owns Da Kine Bail Bonds in downtown Honolulu, has apologized for repeatedly using a racial slur to refer to his son's girlfriend, who is African American.
The Associated Press reported on Friday that Tucker Chapman taped the phone call with his father, and sold it to the National Enquirer, which posted the tape on its Web site on Wednesday.
You know whats so sad here, is that you caNNNNNOT point out 1 Minority that hasent made a negative comment about the "whitey", yet 1 white guy is talking "CANDIDLY" to his retard son,,,, and says the N word??? watthefuk????
bullshit,,,, Duane is one of the greatest Men on the planet,,, hes turned his life around, and helps keep the streets clean,,,, he is an american hero,,,
Noone has any right to ridicule this guy,,, NOONE,,, hes dedicated his life to keeping criminals off the streets,,,
Im done,,, god bless,,,
F all the whiteys,,,
tater
bullshit,,,, Duane is one of the greatest Men on the planet,,, hes turned his life around, and helps keep the streets clean,,,, he is an american hero,,,
Noone has any right to ridicule this guy,,, NOONE,,, hes dedicated his life to keeping criminals off the streets,,,
Im done,,, god bless,,,
F all the whiteys,,,
tater
