This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Accept
Sign In
The Texas Reporter
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Texas
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
  • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: ‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison
Share
The Texas ReporterThe Texas Reporter
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Texas
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
  • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© The Texas Reporter. All Rights Reserved.
Entertainment

‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison

Editorial Board
Editorial Board Published January 28, 2022
Share
‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison
SHARE

OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal judge resentenced “Tiger King” Joe Exotic to 21 years in prison on Friday, reducing his punishment by just a year despite pleas from the former zookeeper for leniency as he begins treatment for early-stage cancer.

“Please don’t make me die in prison waiting for a chance to be free,” he tearfully told a federal judge who resentenced him on a murder-for-hire charge.

Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — was convicted in a case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both were featured in Netflix’s “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”

Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, Maldonado-Passage, 58, still had his trademark mullet hairstyle, but the bleach-blonde had faded to brown and gray. 

Baskin and her husband, Howard Baskin, also attended the proceedings, and she said she was fearful that Maldonado-Passage could threaten her.

“He continues to harbor intense feelings of ill will toward me,” she told the judge.

Baskin said even with Maldonado-Passage in prison, she has continued to receive “vile, abusive and threatening communications” over the last two years. She told the judge she believes Maldonado-Passage poses an even more serious threat to her now that he has a larger group of supporters because of the popularity of the Netflix series.

Maldonado-Passage’s attorneys told the judge their client is suffering from stage-one prostate cancer, along with a disease that compromises his immune system, making him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

Stage-one prostate cancer means it has been detected early and hasn’t spread. Maldonado-Passage previously said that he planned to delay treatment until after his resentencing. Federal officials have said Maldonado-Passage will need up to eight weeks of radiation treatments and would be unable to travel during the treatments.

His attorney Amy Hanna told the judge he’s not receiving the proper medical care inside the federal prison system and that a lengthy prison sentence is a “death sentence for Joe that he doesn’t deserve.”

Prosecutors also told the judge Friday that Maldonado-Passage received a disciplinary write-up in September for being in possession of a contraband cellphone and unauthorized headphones that were not included in his pre-sentencing report. Palk added that Maldonado-Passage had four previous disciplinary write-ups, although he described those as “relatively minor and not violent.”

Friday’s court proceedings came about after a federal appeals court ruled last year that the prison term he’s serving on a murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened.

Supporters packed the courtroom, some wearing animal-print masks and shirts that read “Free Joe Exotic.” His attorneys said they would appeal the resentencing and petition for a new trial.

“The defense submitted a series of attachments that showed excessive government involvement in the creation of the offense for which he‘s been convicted,” attorney Molly Parmer told reporters after the hearing.

“We are going to continue our post-conviction litigation, but we did preview for the court the evidence we have through our post-conviction investigation.”

The former zookeeper was sentenced in January 2020 to 22 years in prison after he was convicted of trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Maldonado-Passage that the court should have treated them as one conviction at sentencing because they both involved the same goal of killing Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida and had criticized Maldonado-Passage’s treatment of animals.

Prosecutors said Maldonado-Passage offered $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent to kill Baskin during a recorded December 2017 meeting. In the recording, he told the agent, “Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off.” Maldonado-Passage’s attorneys have said their client — who once operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City — wasn’t being serious.

Maldonado-Passage, who maintains his innocence, also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records. 

Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC.

TAGGED:Entertainment
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Republicans Relish Biden’s Troubles, Eyeing a Takeover of Congress Republicans Relish Biden’s Troubles, Eyeing a Takeover of Congress
Next Article House Republicans press DOJ on ‘racial discrimination’ in COVID-19 treatment policies House Republicans press DOJ on ‘racial discrimination’ in COVID-19 treatment policies

Editor's Pick

Sizzling Lady Summer time Begins within the Bathe—Right here’s Learn how to Prep Your Pores and skin

Sizzling Lady Summer time Begins within the Bathe—Right here’s Learn how to Prep Your Pores and skin

We might obtain a portion of gross sales if you buy a product by a hyperlink on this article. Most…

By Editorial Board 8 Min Read
Alpine’s Sizzling Hatch EV Has a Constructed-In, ‘Gran Turismo’ Model Driving Teacher

One other win over its Renault 5 sibling is a multi-link rear…

3 Min Read
Louis Vuitton Is Dropping a New Perfume As a result of It’s Sizzling | FashionBeans

We independently consider all beneficial services and products. Any services or products…

2 Min Read

Latest

“A Family’s Fight to Reclaim Their Legacy”

“A Family’s Fight to Reclaim Their Legacy”

Introduction: For generations, the Wright family has worked and lived…

July 9, 2025

AR Global Inc CEO Kason Roberts Donates to Support Kerrville Storm Victims, Mobilizes Team for Restoration Efforts

Kerrville, Texas — In the aftermath…

July 9, 2025

Bitcoin Tops $109,000 After Senate Passes Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ – “The Defiant”

The crypto market posted modest good…

July 9, 2025

Two vital hazard alerts within the June employment report – Indignant Bear

Two vital hazard alerts within the…

July 9, 2025

Simone Biles Thirst Traps in Bikini Amidst Boob Job Hypothesis

Studying Time: 3 minutes Simone Biles…

July 9, 2025

You Might Also Like

Whitney Purvis Positioned on Suicide Watch, Detoxing From Medicine Following Manslaughter Arrest
Entertainment

Whitney Purvis Positioned on Suicide Watch, Detoxing From Medicine Following Manslaughter Arrest

Studying Time: 3 minutes On Monday, we reported on the stunning information that 16 and Pregnant star Whitney Purvis had…

4 Min Read
Jax Taylor Admits to ‘Violent’ Response Upon Studying That Brittany Cartwright Had Hooked Up With His Buddy
Entertainment

Jax Taylor Admits to ‘Violent’ Response Upon Studying That Brittany Cartwright Had Hooked Up With His Buddy

Studying Time: 3 minutes Jax Taylor is lastly ‘fessing as much as some dangerous conduct. However as normal, he’s partislly…

4 Min Read
LeAnn Rimes Dishes Into “Craziness” of Affair with Eddie Cibrian
Entertainment

LeAnn Rimes Dishes Into “Craziness” of Affair with Eddie Cibrian

Studying Time: 3 minutes Late final month, we documented how LeAnna Rimes misplaced her enamel whereas on stage for a…

4 Min Read
Eldridge Toney Says Anna Cardwell Would Need Him to Transfer On
Entertainment

Eldridge Toney Says Anna Cardwell Would Need Him to Transfer On

Studying Time: 3 minutes Eldridge Toney is mourning Anna Cardwell. Regardless of this unthinkable loss, his life continues. That doesn’t…

4 Min Read
The Texas Reporter

About Us

Welcome to The Texas Reporter, a newspaper based in Houston, Texas that covers a wide range of topics for our readers. At The Texas Reporter, we are dedicated to providing our readers with the latest news and information from around the world, with a focus on issues that are important to the people of Texas.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact Us

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© The Texas Reporter. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?