Joe Exotic has been resentenced to 21 years in prison.
Joe Exotic has been resentenced
The 'Tiger King' star had his prison term reduced by one year by a federal judge on Friday (28.01.22), after he was previously convicted in a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin.
The TV star - whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage - was resentenced after a federal appeals court determined in 2021 that improper sentencing guidelines were previously used.
The former zookeeper - who shot to worldwide fame after starring in the Netflix series 'Tiger King' - was initially sentenced to 22 years in prison in January 2020.
But his attorneys have subsequently campaigned to have his sentence reduced, alleging "imperfect entrapment, sentencing manipulation, and outrageous government conduct".
In a sentencing memorandum, they previously said: "From decisions made in the initial stages of the investigation to charging decisions to overzealous sentencing recommendations, one thing remains clear: this case was about doing whatever it took to put Mr. Maldonado-Passage behind bars for as long as possible."
Maldonado-Passage was joined in the courtroom in Oklahoma City by a group of his supporters, some of whom wore animal-print masks and shirts.
His attorneys have already confirmed their intention to appeal the resentencing and petition for a new trial.
Maldonado-Passage previously called on US President Joe Biden to grant him a presidential pardon after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The controversial TV star also criticised Donald Trump for overlooking his case during his time in the White House.
He said: "I don’t want anyone’s pity, what I need is when John Phillips gets the evidence he is working on, I need the world to help him get President Biden, VP Harris and the Attorney General to listen to the evidence and see that it’s not just city cops out of control with corruption, but his very own Department of Justice and make this right and sign that pardon that Trump left behind so I can go home and get proper medical care and proper food."
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