Charges dropped in Chapman shooting case

May 16, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man accused of shooting at bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman and another man during a pursuit being videotaped for a reality TV show.

An attempted-murder charge was dropped because of conflicting witness statements and because the evidence was weak, El Paso County Assistant District Attorney Dan Zook said Thursday.

Chapman and bail bondsman Bobby Brown told Colorado Springs police they were fired on while chasing Hoang Nguyen, 35, last month after Nguyen missed a court date on a domestic violence charge.

The chase was being videotaped for A&E’s “Dog the Bounty Hunter” reality TV show. Chapman and Brown say they weren’t injured.

Rapper to serve sentence in Arkansas federal prison

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — T.I. will be coming to Arkansas by May 26 to serve a prison sentence on federal weapons charges.

The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Clifford J. Harris Jr., will be serving his sentence of one year and a day at the Forrest City low-security federal prison. Paperwork filed in his federal court case shows he has until noon May 26 to report for his sentence.

Prison officials didn’t immediately return a call Friday to comment.

Harris pleaded guilty to the charges after he tried to buy a stash of machine guns and silencers to protect himself after his best friend was killed. He will also pay a $100,000 fine as part of his sentence.

Today’s birthdays

Jazz drummer Billy Cobham is 65. Actor Pierce Brosnan is 56. Actress Debra Winger is 54. Actress Mare Winningham is 50. Violinist Boyd Tinsley of The Dave Matthews Band is 45. Bassist Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) is 44. Singer Janet Jackson is 43. Actor Brian F. O’Byrne (“Million Dollar Baby”) is 42. Actor David Boreanaz (“Bones,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) is 40. Country singer Rick Trevino is 38. Actress Tori Spelling is 36. Actress Melanie Lynskey (“Two and a Half Men”) is 32. Actress Megan Fox (“Transformers”) is 23. Actor Marc John Jefferies (“The Tracy Morgan Show”) is 19.