Joe Exotic requests pardon, still maintains innocence
OKLAHOMA FITY >> A former Oklahoma zookeeper sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in a murder-forhire plot and violating federal wildlife laws has formally requested a pardon.
Attorneys for Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” filed his application Tuesday with the U.S. Department of Justice. In it, attorneys for Maldonado-Passage, 57, say he maintains his innocence and that he was “railroaded and betrayed” by others.
‘Comprised health’
“Joseph is scheduled to be released from (Bureau of Prisons) custody in 2037; however, with his comprised health, he will likely die in prison,” attorneys wrote in the 257-page application. “He humbly requests a pardon to correct the injustices he has experienced and to have the opportunity to return to providing meaningful contributions to his community.”
The application also includes several character affidavits, letters of support and various trial documents. A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said it would be premature to comment on the application.
Maldonado-Passage was convicted last year of trying to arrange the killing of a Florida animal sanctuary founder, Carole Baskin, who criticized his treatment of animals. Baskin wasn’t harmed. Maldonado-Passage also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.
‘Tiger King’ series
The blond mullet-wearing zookeeper, known for his expletive-laden rants on YouTube and a failed 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign, is prominently featured in the popular Netflix documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”
The seven-episode docuseries centered on the collector of giant cats such as tigers and lions that he kept at a “zoo” in Oklahoma.
The docu-series focuses heavily on Exotic’s extremely antagonistic relationship with Baskin, an animals rights activist and founder of Big Cat Rescue. Maldonado-Passage accused Baskin of murdering her husband and feeding him to her big cats, and later tried to pay someone to murder her.
Exotic also hosted a YouTube channel called Joe Exotic TV that gave viewers a virtual tour of his “zoo.” In the 2000s, as the zoo and his videos gained popularity, he expanded his business offerings into merchandise and restaurants.
Maldonado-Passage is currently housed at the Federal Medical Center, a 1,500-inmate facility in Fort Worth, Texas, prison records show.