A pardon for Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’? Trump weighs the possibility for Joe Exotic
Those who have embraced the phrase “Free Joe Exotic” will be ecstatic to hear President Donald Trump is considering a pardon for the star of the Netflix original series “Tiger King.”
A reporter asked President Donald Trump on Wednesday at his daily press conference if he would consider a pardon for Joe (Exotic) Maldonado-Passage, USA Today reported.
“I’ll take a look,” the president replied, according to USA Today.
Maldonado-Passage is serving a 22-year sentence on charges of murder for hire and animal abuse, Newsweek reported. The “Tiger King” was recently moved to the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, after a fellow prisoner at the Grady County Jail in Chickasha, Oklahoma, tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the New York Post.
Maldonado-Passage publicly appealed for a pardon already, Newsweek reported. He also claims he’s innocent of all charges against him and filed an $89 million false arrest lawsuit for damages suffered through the loss of his exotic animals, “false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, selective enforcement and the death of his mother,” who died during his legal proceedings, Newsweek said.
But two separate judges recommended dismissing the lawsuit this week, according to Newsweek. New York Post reporter Steven Nelson asked President Trump if he would consider pardoning Maldonado-Passage after noting Donald Trump Jr. joked about asking his father to pardon the “Tiger King,” the New York Post reported.
The Netflix series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness” follows Maldonado-Passage and his crew at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma and the rivalry with Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin. Maldonado-Passage was convicted of hiring a man to kill Baskin, according to USA Today.
The docuseries was released March 20 and racked up 34 million views in its first 10 days, USA Today reported.
This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 9:36 PM with the headline "A pardon for Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’? Trump weighs the possibility for Joe Exotic."