Joe Exotic Placed In Solitary Confinement Over Social-Media Posts
“Tiger King” attorney can't reach client, claims privilege violation
DALLAS — “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic was placed in solitary confinement April 21 over social-media posts on Instagram disapproved by the Texas federal prison staff. Social media isn’t allowed in prison; he posts via handwritten notes to his legal and PR teams.
For example, in February he posted: “Look who’s the only one in prison but not in the Epstein files.”
Due to his confinement, he hasn’t spoken to Peter Tickin, his counsel. Tickin said he has “no idea” what content led to Exotic’s solitary confinement. “When you’re in prison, you don’t have rights.”
Exotic, whose legal name is Joseph Allen Maldonado, is serving a 21-year sentence. He was convicted in 2018 for a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin and violations of the Lacey Act, which combats wildlife trafficking, and the Endangered Species Act.
He is incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, in the Special Housing Unit.
“He basically is controlling content that is being posted,” said Tickin about Exotic’s Instagram. “They don’t want anybody who is in prison to have a voice.” Exotic has 391,000 followers on the platform, but doesn’t physically write the account.
Tickin added the inability to communicate with Exotic while in solitary confinement is a violation of attorney-client privilege. His team is in contact with the federal prison to reach his client.
Though Exotic was found guilty, Tickin argued he was wrongfully accused.
“He went to a veterinarian and they said these cats need to be put down,” said Tickin, in response to Exotic charged with violating the Lacey Act. “It’s just the allegations causing the public to become upset with a person who’s charged with anything regarding animal cruelty.”
Exotic’s notoriety grew during the Netflix documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, & Madness,” the most-watched series during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. Netflix reported that 64 million households streamed the show within its first four weeks.
As for the murder-for-hire charge, former hitman Allen Glover admitted to perjury on the stand in a statement John Phillips, Exotic’s former lawyer. Glover has not been charged by federal prosecutors and remains free.
“He’s gotten free, even though he admits his perjury,” said Tickin. “The court isn’t accepting that he perjured himself, and there should be a new trial for Joe Exotic.”
Tickin has filed paperwork to seek a presidential pardon for Exotic from Donald Trump. Trump did not pardon Exotic in the last days of his first term. Neither did President Joe Biden. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the “Tiger King’s” appeal, leaving his sentence in place.
“You have to look at the charges that he was convicted on. The most serious one, which is murder for hire. He didn’t murder anybody. Nobody got murdered,” said Tickin.
There is no date announced for Exotic’s release from solitary.
Exotic’s Instagram account is still posting content.