This is part two in a two-article exclusive series.
Part one of The Dallas Express' interview with Exotic can be found here: EXCLUSIVE: Joe Exotic Tells All To The Dallas Express On New Engagement To Illegal Alien.
In part two of Exotic's exclusive interview with The Dallas Express, the Tiger King endorsed former President Donald Trump and discussed his case for appeal.
"I personally would vote for Trump... he's been indicted 94 times, he's been convicted 34 times of felonies, and he knows how the system is," said Exotic.
The Kansas-born documentary star feels a kinship with the New York Billionaire. In Exotic's mind, Trump's myriad legal battles mirror his own. While some commentators have said the cases against Trump have political motivations, Exotic sees himself as suffering political persecution as well.
"I am a political prisoner in the United States for the Big Cat Safety Act," explained Exotic.
Exotic faced 19 convictions on wildlife crime charges under the Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act in 2019. He was also convicted on two counts of hiring hitmen to kill his nemesis, animal activist Carole Baskin. At 61, Exotic is serving a 21-year prison sentence.
The Big Cat Safety Act was passed by Congress in 2021 to impose stricter limits on who can own animals such as lions and tigers. Then-Sen. Kamala Harris, who cosponsored the legislation, explicitly connected Netflix's Tiger King docu-series with the act when she made TV appearances to promote it.
Like Trump, Exotic's legal battles are winding through a lengthy appeals process.
Exotic's case now pends before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
"I've been fighting seven years," he says, levying some of the most serious misconduct allegations at those involved in his trial.
"I don't know if you've seen the videos where they all admitted to perjury," Exotic said, noting key witnesses who testified against him. Exotic referenced videos on JoeExoticOfficial.com where he claims there are a variety of videos that support his appeal.
DX watched several of the videos, and they appear to show Allen Glover discussing a plot to kill Exotic with a piano wire and other nefarious activities.
In his appeal, Exotic focused on the alleged perjury and highlighted other concerns.
Exotic accused the prosecution of Brady violations. Brady v. Maryland (1963) was a Supreme Court case that required prosecutors to hand over all evidence that could prove a defendant is innocent.
Exotic maintains that the prosecution withheld text messages from the "pizza phone."
"That is a very vital piece," explained Exotic. "That's what made my case federal... interstate commerce with a cell phone."
Exotic claims that the text messages on the cell phone indicate the phone never belonged to him.
"Allen testified that I gave him the pizza phone; I took a picture of Carol's address, and I gave him the phone ... well, the very phone has text messages on it from Allen to the manager of the pizza restaurant where she gave it to him, and I didn't know it. And he stole it and took it with him to South Carolina," said Exotic.
Exotic then shared a crucial element of his Brady violation allegation: "The government knew they [the texts] were on there when they let him lie under oath and say I gave him that phone. That's the only reason I'm in federal prison."
Exotic further believes that some government agencies had reason to doubt the charges.
"The FBI agents proved to the federal wildlife agent that there was no way... [that Roger Ingesser purchased a lion from me and] that's where I got the cash because he picked the lion up at the park and Allen Glover saw the envelope. The FBI agents told agents told [wildlife] agent Bryant there's no way in hell that could be possible," Exotic said.
Regarding the wildlife crimes, Exotic claims the USDA inspector told him to "euthanize those cats."
While it is unclear if the appellate court will accept this information as grounds for appeal, the judicial branch is not the only means Exotic is pursuing liberation.
"I would like to know over the next four days before this election is over which one of these three bastards care," Exotic told DX.
The "three bastards" he refers to are President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump.
Exotic is seeking a pardon from either Biden or whoever succeeds him.
Exotic previously sought a pardon from then-President Trump as his public profile surged after Tiger King's premier in 2020, and has made similar pleas to President Joe Biden.
Exotic sees a presidential pardon as the quickest way to reverse what he calls a "kidnapping" by the federal government.
However, the presidential election and his appeal are not the only issues close to the former Tiger King's heart.
He has told previous interviewers that if he is released from jail, he would not want to return to the big cat industry but would like to advocate for improved conditions for American prisoners.
Exotic told DX that 15 rats had been caught under his bunk recently.
He aimed a message to Colette Peters, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, on this issue, adding he would not want Peters' job because "[the whole prison system" is going to collapse" because of internal and external dysfunction.
Exotic wants Peters to know there is algae, mold, leaking rooves, and a perpetual caloric/nutritional deficit in the food.
Drawing on his professional experience, Exotic claims that prisoners are treated worse than zoo animals.
He said the law requires "that a chimpanzee has to have 400 square feet per chimpanzee," while a prisoner only gets "70 square feet."
This raises an ironic point: the Tiger King once confined so many animals and now complains about his confinement in the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth.
"Dude, I would never put another animal in a cage the rest of my life... the two years and eight months in solitary confinement almost broke me. I mean, I overdosed three times. Never would I put an animal in a cage again," Exotic confessed.
Upon his release, Exotic stressed that he would advocate ending confinement for big cats.
"I'm not going to be a PETA person because they're hypocrites... But, no, we've got to stop bringing animals in from the wild," he said.
When DX asked Exotic what he wanted to say to the American people after his experiences in prison, he replied, "I am a different person than you saw in Tiger King. I am innocent... When I get out of here, I'm going to continue my nonprofit work, helping homeless people and sick kids."
Exotic invites those who support him to visit his website to help with his legal battles and raise awareness about his case.
Note from author: Like what you read? Share this article with a friend or subscribe using the buttons below now. Every subscription (even the free ones) or share helps support independent media in Texas and helps Cowtown Caller share its message with new audiences! *
Share this post