Joe Exotic’s team to ‘hand deliver’ request for Trump to pardon Tiger King star

Exotic is serving a 22-year prison sentence on charges of murder for hire and animal abuse

Joe Exotic’s team will hand deliver a request for Donald Trump to pardon the Tiger King star this week, reports have claimed.

Exotic, who rose to fame after starring in the popular Netflix documentary series, is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence on charges of animal abuse and murder for hire. However, his legal representatives claim that he was wrongly convicted.

Following the show’s success, Trump was asked during a coronavirus briefing in April whether he had considered pardoning Exotic. The president replied that he hadn’t seen the show but would “take a look” into the former zoo owner’s case.

Now, Exotic’s team are reportedly ramping up the campaign again with the hope of getting Trump to pardon him.

A source told TMZ that the attorneys and advocates representing Exotic would be flying to Washington this Wednesday (9 September) to hand deliver an official pardon request to an unnamed White House contact.

Exotic starred in Netflix’s ‘Tiger King' (Netflix)

Exotic’s campaigners have previously attempted to lobby the president in May by driving a bus to Washington emblazoned with the words: “Present Trump, please pardon Joe Exotic” along with a picture of a tiger and the reality TV star.

Exotic’s private zoo, the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, was being managed by Jeff Lowe during his time in jail, but in August closed its doors for good.

Meanwhile, Carole Baskin, the animal rights activist Exotic is accused of trying to have murdered, will appear on the forthcoming series of US reality competition show Dancing with the Stars.