'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic seeks pardon from Trump: report
Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic (SRCSO photo)
"Tiger King" star Joe Exotic has reportedly submitted a case for a pardon, which is headed to the White House.
Exotic, born Joseph Maldonado-Passage, submitted a 257-page argument to President Trump asking for a pardon from his 22-year prison sentence after being charged with involvement in a murder-for-hire plot, according to TMZ.
Among the documents was a letter from Maldonado-Passage, in which he reportedly alleged to have been "sexually assaulted by jail staff, beat up and tied in a chair to the point the skin came off my arms."
"Please be my hero," he reportedly pleaded before further claiming: "My hands are damaged from the abuse in jail so I'm sorry for the soppy [sic.] writing and spelling."
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Federal prison sources denied Maldonado-Passage's allegations to the outlet, according to TMZ.
In addition, the 57-year-old former zoo owner reportedly said that he fears that his other various health conditions will result in his death before his sentence is up.
Character references were also included in the docs, according to TMZ.
Maldonado-Passage also went on to maintain his innocence in a plot to kill fellow big cat enthusiast Carole Baskin, claiming his threats against her were "hyperbole," according to TMZ.
Such threats were deemed "simply another aspect of his showmanship" by Maldonado-Passage's lawyers in the documents. "Joe's jokes, at most, in bad taste, were merely jokes," his attorneys reportedly said in the papers.
Furthermore, Maldonado-Passage claimed that when he paid the alleged hitman $3,000, it was simply to get him off of his back, also alleging he'd been "railroaded and betrayed, repeatedly" by the likes of Jeff Lowe, the judge over his case and more.
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He also reportedly said that he believes anti-gay comments to be part of the reason behind his conviction of the crime, according to TMZ.
Additionally, the outlet reports that Maldonado-Passage admitted to shooting ill animals at his zoo, claiming it to be a humane method of euthanasia.
Also included in the docs was a letter from Dillon Passage, husband to the reality star.
"I see a sweet, big heart man, with good intentions, who took a few steps down a dark road, and he's just waiting to be pulled out of it," said Dillon's letter, which also said he was saved from addiction by his husband.
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Maldonado-Passage added to Trump: "Allow me to make you proud, to make America proud, to make the world proud. Be my hero please."
The outlet reports that Maldonado-Passage's attorneys, including Eric Love, are headed to Washington D.C. on Wednesday to present the pardon application.
Reps for the Federal Medical Center Fort Worth, where Maldonado-Passage is being held, could not immediately be reached, nor could Love.
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