Joe Exotic, the eccentric former zookeeper made famous by the Netflix documentary 'Tiger King', is seeking a pardon from former president Donald Trump. His lawyer, Levi McCathern, claims that the convictions against Exotic, including attempted murder-for-hire and wildlife violations, are riddled with inconsistencies and that key witnesses have recanted their testimonies. Exotic is currently serving a 21-year sentence at the Fort Worth Medical Center, his health having deteriorated during his imprisonment. His lawyer maintains that Exotic never actually hired anyone to murder Carole Baskin, the animal rights activist who was his nemesis. Despite a failed attempt to arrange a pardon during Trump's first term, Exotic's legal team is now pinning their hopes on the former president's influence.
The attorney for Joseph Maldonado, better known as Joe Exotic, renewed calls for the documentary star to be released from prison, and is seeking a pardon from president-elect Donald Trump . Maldonado, a former exotic animal wrangler and the star of the Netflix show Tiger King, is currently imprisoned at the Fort Worth Medical Center.
Levi McCathern, a lawyer for Joe Exotic, claims that the convictions against his client should not be overturned and says there are 'inconsistencies' in the case against him. In 2020, Joe Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of two counts of murder-for-hire in an attempt to kill animal activist Carole Baskin, who was a critic of Maldonado's animal park. He was also convicted on eight counts of violating the Lacey Act for falsifying wildlife records, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act. In his trial, lawyers said that Maldonado personally shot and killed five tigers in October 2017. McCathern claims key witnesses, including alleged hitman Allen Glover, have admitted to perjury in Exotic's case. 'Joe Exotic did not hire anyone to murder anyone,' said McCathern. 'He was convicted of a murder-for-hire, but there's a problem with that. No one was killed, no one was paid and no one, except for Joe, was ever charged.' Maldonado is calling for president-elect Donald Trump to pardon him. In 2021, Maldonado was hopeful that Trump would pardon him at the end of his first term, hiring a limo to pick him up from the Fort Worth Medical Center. Trump did not pardon Maldonado. READ MORE: Big Cat Rescue sells large portion of Hillsborough property for $19.5M The Tiger King's sentence was reduced from 22 years in prison to 21 years in 2022. Joe Exotic is scheduled to be released from prison on March 18, 2036. While in prison, Maldonado's health has deteriorated. The 61-year-old was diagnosed with prostate cancer and contracted scabies, according to his representatives. The original ‘Tiger King’ series aired on Netflix in March 2020, just as coronavirus pandemic restrictions forced people to stay home. It drew some 64 million household viewers in its first month and was nominated for six prime-time Emmy awards, according to the company. Much of the series has focused on a dispute between Baskin and Maldonado-Passage over treatment of tigers, lions and other big cats at an Oklahoma zoo he formerly operated. A sequel to the series was released in 2021
JOE EXOTIC TIGER KING DONALD TRUMP PARDON COURT CASE ANIMAL RIGHTS CAROLE BASKIN
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