Joe Exotic Appeals for Presidential Pardon

Joe Exotic, known from the 2020 Netflix documentary “Tiger King,” is making a public plea for Donald Trump to grant him a pardon while he’s serving time in federal prison. This appeal comes after his husband was deported to Mexico.

In a message posted on Sunday, Exotic—whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado—said, “It’s really past time to watch Tiger King Season 2 with one of your people. They all admitted to the plot against me, and yet here I am.” He addressed Trump directly, mentioning, “I know you don’t approve of my lifestyle, but you let me go to Mexico with my husband.”

His husband, Jorge Marquez Flores, had been held in a Texas immigration facility. Although he was released recently, he was quickly deported back to Mexico.

According to a statement from the U.S. immigration and customs enforcement agency, there was confusion over why Marquez was sent back so swiftly, especially since he had a hearing scheduled for the next day.

In his post, Exotic urged Trump to “let me go to Mexico and you can keep Carol Baskin.” It’s unclear how this request might play out, given the complexities of his situation.

Exotic, 62, is currently serving a 21-year sentence in an Oklahoma prison, having been convicted of conspiracy to murder Baskin, a well-known animal rights activist. He was initially sentenced to 22 years in January 2020, but that was later reduced, perhaps due to his health issues—he’s been battling prostate cancer, which went into remission but has reportedly returned.

Marquez, 33, married Exotic in October after they met while he was incarcerated; this marks Exotic’s fifth marriage. Earlier this year, he hinted on social media that he would relocate to Mexico depending on how Trump’s response to his plea for a pardon unfolds.

Back in April 2020, when asked during his presidency if he would consider pardoning Exotic, Trump noted, “I’ll take a look.” The outcome of this appeal remains uncertain.