Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider was released early from jail this week, and is now blaming his conservative values for the few hours he spent in the slammer.
Schneider, 58, began his three-day jail sentence in Los Angeles County on Tuesday for failure to pay spousal support to his estranged wife Elvira Castle.
The actor, however, had been released after only five hours due to overcrowding.
The filmmaker said he believes Republican stars are subject to political bias and stronger scrutiny – and claims that is what he fell victim to during a messy alimony battle in court.
Dukes of Hazzard actor John Schneider was released early from jail Tuesday. He is pictured above at the Las Vegas Convention Center on March 19, 2016
![Schneider served time for failing to pay child support. He said in an interview after his release he was treated like a 'second-class citizen' because of his conservative views. The actor is seen above as Beauregard 'Bo' Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, holding a monkey on set](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/23/4D253D5A00000578-5836755-image-a-4_1528841311216.jpg)
Schneider served time for failing to pay child support. He said in an interview after his release he was treated like a ‘second-class citizen’ because of his conservative views. The actor is seen above as Beauregard ‘Bo’ Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, holding a monkey on set
‘I do think there’s a bias against conservatives, Republicans, in Hollywood, but I think if you let that alter how you are, then I question how you are,’ Schneider said in an interview with Fox News after his release.
‘[Within the] court system, I was treated like I was guilty until proven innocent, like a second-class citizen,’ he said, and added that it’s time for Hollywood stars to ‘come out of the Republican closet.’
The Trump supporter noted that while he did not vote for Donald Trump, it’s his duty as a US citizen to support the president.
‘The difference here is that I did vote [for Trump] and I don’t mind people knowing that.’
The Smallville actor didn’t seem to have it too bad Tuesday, as his sentence began at 10:29am and he already checked out by 3:46pm that afternoon.
Schneider was a free man after having served just over five hours of a total 72-hour jail sentence.
![Schneider was previously given a March deadline by the court to pay more than $150,000 in delinquent spousal support to his estranged wife Elvira (pair shown above)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/01/4D253D6900000578-0-image-m-7_1528762484353.jpg)
Schneider was previously given a March deadline by the court to pay more than $150,000 in delinquent spousal support to his estranged wife Elvira (pair shown above)
It is common for inmates accused of nonviolent crimes to be released from LA County jail due to overcrowding.
Schneider was ordered by a judge on Monday to serve the brief prison sentence as well as perform 240 hours of community service.
Moments before he handed himself in, Schneider told Fox News that he was ‘disheartened with the system’ but would hold his head high during his jail time.
Schneider was previously given a March deadline by the court to pay more than $150,000 in delinquent spousal support.
He claimed that he couldn’t afford the payments after losing the majority of his money when his Louisiana movie studio was destroyed by floods in March 2016.
![Tom Wopat (left) and Schneider (right) are shown in a promo still circa 1980 for The Dukes Of Hazzard](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/01/4D253D4700000578-0-image-m-6_1528762410320.jpg)
Tom Wopat (left) and Schneider (right) are shown in a promo still circa 1980 for The Dukes Of Hazzard
‘If I had it [money], I would’ve given it to her just to let this go away but I don’t have it,’ he said.
‘Hopefully this is evidence of that.
‘I’ve worked seven days a week, 80 hours a week, at least since 1978. I have, as every working person has, a mountain of debt that was attached to my dream.
‘There’s a group now that somehow feels they’re entitled to life or even luxury without work and the judicial system apparently agrees with that.’
Schneider had earlier been ordered by a judge to transfer his property to his estranged wife to pay his spousal support debt and to resolve tax liens against the property.
Earlier this year, he was accused in court documents of missing monthly support payments of $18,911 from September 2016 through May 2017.
Castle filed for divorce in December 2014 after 21 years of marriage.
She cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce filing.
The couple married in 1993 and share three adult children, including Leah and Chasen from Castle’s first marriage and their daughter Kris.
Castle, in her divorce petition seeking spousal support, stated that she was a stay at home mother throughout their marriage and did not have the skills to compete in the modern workforce.
Schneider, at age 17, won the role of Bo Duke on The Dukes Of Hazzard and starred on the CBS show from 1979 to 1985 opposite Tom Wopat as his older cousin Luke Duke.
He has worked regularly in TV and film since and was a series regular on Smallville and The Mummy before landing a main role in 2013 on The Haves And The Have Nots on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Schneider also had recurring roles on Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman and the reboot of 90210.
![John is pictured above with his girlfriend Alicia Allain in May 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. The actor said it is his role as a US citizen to support President Trump](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/06/12/01/4D253D8900000578-0-image-m-5_1528762387618.jpg)
John is pictured above with his girlfriend Alicia Allain in May 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. The actor said it is his role as a US citizen to support President Trump