“Dukes of Hazzard” and “Smallville” star John Schneider suggested Wednesday that his conservative leanings and support for President Trump may have played a role in his being sentenced to three days in jail for unpaid alimony.

Mr. Schneider, who was released Tuesday from the Los Angeles County Jail after serving five hours of the three-day sentence, told Fox News that his conservative values may have hurt him in court.

“I was treated like I was guilty until proven innocent, like a second-class citizen,” he said.

Nonetheless, Mr. Schneider said conservatives shouldn’t be afraid to “come out of the Republican closet,” and he encouraged them to do so.

“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,” he said. “If you believe it, speak it, live it.”

Mr. Schneider said he isn’t afraid to let people know he’s a Trump voter and a supporter of the presidency in general.

“I supported the last president [even though] I didn’t vote for him, but I supported him because I believe that’s my duty as a United States citizen,” he told Fox. “The difference here is that I did vote [for Trump] and I don’t mind people knowing that.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Schneider said his experience in jail was “totally life-changing.”

“I never saw anything but people being treated with respect with dignity and with humor, which really surprised me, and whatever authority they needed to show in order to keep everybody safe,” he said, adding he was “so very impressed with every aspect of the penal system.”

The 58-year-old actor was jailed for failing to pay alimony to his estranged wife, Elvira Castle. He told Fox that he’s hit financial turmoil and cannot afford the payments.

“I’ve worked seven days a week, 80 hours a week, at least since 1978,” he said. “I have, as every working person has, a mountain of debt that was attached to my dream. And 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.”

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