Will 'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic receive a presidential pardon?

Rumors swirled earlier in the day of a possible presidential pardon for the former zookeeper currently serving a 22-year federal prison sentence for attempting to murder Carole Baskin.

JANUARY 20, 2021 11:48

Mugshot of Joe Exotic from Santa Rose County Jail, 2018. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons) — Mugshot of Joe Exotic from Santa Rose County Jail, 2018.

(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Tiger King's Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, more commonly known by his stage name Joe Exotic, was denied a presidential pardon by outgoing US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, various news outlets reported.

Rumors swirled earlier in the day of a possible presidential pardon for the former zookeeper currently serving a 22-year federal prison sentence for attempting to murder Carole Baskin, the animal rights activist with which he famously quarreled on the Netflix television show.

Joe Exotic's legal team tell me they are "100% confident" Trump will pardon the 'Tiger King' from his 22-year criminal sentence. Here's the 38ft "Monster Ram Truck Limo" they've reserved to pick him up. They plan to grab some McRibs immediately after. pic.twitter.com/mK69eGLiBV
— Greg Walters (@thegregwalters) January 19, 2021

Tiger King premiered on Netflix back in March, just as the world entered a global lockdown due to the coronavirus. The docuseries follows different movements of zookeepers and their treatment of wild, exotic and oftentimes rare species of lions, tigers, monkeys, and more.