THE DOG IS FINALLY FREE!!!!

[BlackMagicRose]

Dog Chapman is (Finally) Free!

Posted Jan 29th 2008 6:29PM by TMZ Staff

After years of legal wrangling, a Mexican appellate court has put the Duane Dog Chapman case to rest -- for good.

In today's decision, a Mexican judge ruled that the Dog, his son Leland and his brother Tim cannot be sent back to Mexico to face charges stemming from their apprehension of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster. Luster, who fled the U.S. during his trial on rape and sexual assault charges, now sits in prison serving a 124-year sentence. Chapman and his cohorts tracked Luster to Mexico to bring him to justice, but were arrested themselves as bounty hunting is illegal in Mexico.

Just moments after hearing the news, the Dog told TMZ, "Thank God this nightmare is over," adding, "Fugitives meet the opposition!"

[BlackMagicRose]

Honolulu, HI - Duane "Dog" Chapman can finally put the entire Mexico extradition ordeal behind him. In a decision handed down today, a panel of three Mexican judges ruled unanimously that the Dog, his son Leland Chapman, and colleague Tim Chapman cannot be extradited to Mexico to face charges stemming from their apprehension of serial rapist and Max Factor heir Andrew Luster, who is currently serving a 124-year sentence in Mule Creek State Prison in California.

After years of torment for the Chapman family, with their millions of fans in support, they can finally breathe a sigh of relief. An appeal was filed in an earlier decision in favor of the Chapmans late last year, but now the Mexican appellate court has laid the case to rest – for good – with their decision today.

“Our Mexican team did a fantastic job and are responsible for this great victory. We are all pleased that Duane, Leland and Tim can finally put this behind them,” said James Quadra, attorney for the Chapmans.

Duane and wife Beth Chapman said, “We are ecstatic that this nightmare is finally over, and happy to see the Mexican justice system works. We thank them and also thank our fans for sticking by us through thick and thin over the years. We also are extremely grateful to our fabulous team of attorneys – Jim Quadra, Alberto Zinser, Eduardo Amerena and Brook Hart – who did an awesome job in this precedent-setting case! We can all now move forward.”