I gotta tell you, the only bounty hunters I know anything about are Duane “Dog” Chapman and Boba Fett, but an ex-NFL player who got into the business after retiring from the league has found himself in trouble.

As any “Dog” viewer can tell you, a bail bondsman is authorized to apprehend a client who skips out on their court obligations. You are not, however, allowed to pistol-whip your client upside his head repeatedly to the point that he needs 15 staples to close the wound, as Vinson Smith is accused of doing.

The STATESVILLE RECORD & LANDMARK of North Carolina says that Smith was paying a visit to Jamarr Scott, who failed to appear before the court on DWI charges. What happened next is a matter of dispute, to say the least. Scott, who admits to ditching his court date because he was “scared,” claims Smith nearly killed him:

Scott said he was asleep and still waking up when Smith and Hicks came into his bedroom. “I was trying to put my pants on,” he said.

Scott said Smith got around Hicks and then hit him on the top of the head.

“When he first hit me, the gun came out of his hand,” he said.

Scott said he fell back onto the bed, and Smith grabbed him by the neck before retrieving the gun.
He said Smith then hit him several more times and told him that he lost money because Scott failed to appear on the DWI charge.

Scott said he begged Smith to call an ambulance, but he replied, “You’re not going to the hospital. You’re going to jail,” Scott said.

Scott flagged down a police officer who saw that he was bleeding and sent him to the hospital. Scott also claims that the other bondsman with Smith was trying to calm Smith down and didn’t use any force. Both details make his story seem plausible.

Smith’s lawyer, however, not only denies the whole thing but says there’s a massive conspiracy operating in Iredell County, North Carolina to run his client out of business:

Smith’s attorney, Ken Darty, said the charges are without merit. He called the case against his client a witch hunt by the Department of Insurance, the Statesville Police Department and another bail bondsman whom he declined to name.

“This was orchestrated by the DOI, SPD and one of our local bondsman to run Vinson out of the bail business,” Darty said. “I really believe that.”

Darty then claimed that it was OK for Smith to enter Scott’s home without warning or permission, something that the local police chief says isn’t true.

Smith has reportedly posted $5,000 bond. Let’s hope he didn’t post it with himself.