As Tiger King continues to beguile and bewilder viewers with its tale of murder, arson, animal trafficking, polygamy, rivalry and mullets, series star Joe Exotic has filed a $94 million lawsuit claiming he’s the victim of homophobic discrimination.
So yes, the story just got weirder.
Exotic (real name Joseph Maldonato-Passage), launched the lawsuit while serving his 22-year prison sentence for the attempted murder of his big cat rival, Carole Baskin. The Associated Press reports that, among other allegations, the suit claims that Exotic was convicted “based on false and perjured testimony.”
The defendants listed are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted him, and several witnesses in the case.
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Exotic claims he was persecuted as “an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and crossbreeds.”
Prior to his murder conviction, Joe Exotic gained notoriety as a would-be country music and reality show star, living in a private zoo in Oklahoma where he kept hundreds of pet tigers. He also raised eyebrows with campaigns for President and the Governorship of Oklahoma, as well as for his polygamous marriage to two men.
Tiger King streams on Netflix.
Related: EXCLUSIVE: Co-director Rebecca Chailkin spills on the chaos of ‘Tiger King’
Bob LaBlah
I am so sick of hearing about this guy. His looks alone makes me feel that he is guilty. He looks stoned in every pic they post of him.
marlenecwestmoreland
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Cam
Aren’t there laws against bigamy? Didn’t he also violate that law?
billjones
Only if he filed two marriage licenses with the State.
Vince
I always thought there was questionable testimony, homophobia and over zealous Government in his conviction. It did happen in Oklahoma where the jury would definitely be biased by Joe’s lifestyle.
Part of me would love to be that close to the Tiger. Of coarse the other part would be a scared little rabbit. Probably not a good idea.
masterd33
I live in Oklahoma and this man is nuts. He needs to do his time. No one cares that he is gay.
JamJewel
Really? It doesn’t bother you that it took a federal jury three hours to convict someone on seventeen charges of animal abuse and two murder-for-hire charges? That’s only enough time to vote and mark the paper and hand it back to the judge. You don’t think the documentary could leave someone with reasonable doubt? That the evidence was prejudicial in it’s presentation to the jury? That it’s suspicious that the government used con men and criminals to set-up the guy? Golly gee wiz! That’s Okie justice for you!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
JamJewel: Really have not been all that interested in this circus… however simply based on the information you posted, there is NO way that jury engaged in serious unbiased deliberations.
Chrisk
Yessiree. I’m sure none of those jurors cared one bit about Joe being gay and a polygamous…. in Oklahoma.
Please. If the DA recommended death they’d totally be down for that as well.
Toofie
I think what people are forgetting is Joe is a horrible person. Like practically everyone on the show.