Joe Exotic’s father dies of Covid-19 as Tiger King star bids for pardon from Donald Trump

Joe Exotic is hoping to receive a pardon from President Donald Trump.

Lawyers for former zookeeper Joe Exotic are calling for the subject of an explosive Netflix documentary series to be pardoned so he can attend the funeral of his father, who died of Covid-19.

The Tiger King star, whose full name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 22-year prison sentence for animal abuse as well as for his part in a plot to murder big cats rights activist Carole Baskin. He was arrested in 2018.

His case gained international awareness when featured by Netflix in March 2020 and Exotic and his lawyers have since petitioned US President Donald Trump regularly to pardon him. The 257-page application included a personal plea from Exotic to the out-going President.

The death of Francis Schreibvogel, Exotic’s father, due to complications from Covid-19, has made their bid more urgent. 

Exotic's legal team, lead by Eric Love, will fly to Washington D.C. today for a 'high level' meeting regarding their pardon petition.

Schreibvogel’s funeral will take place in Oklahoma on Saturday. It is understood Exotic’s lawyers hope to receive a pardon before then but they will settle for a temporary release to allow Exotic to attend.

In April last year, President Trump said he would consider issuing a pardon for Maldonado-Passage, after his son Donald Trump Jr brought the case to his attention.