Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court

Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court in murder-for-hire case

The Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court decision leaves the former Oklahoma zoo operator’s federal conviction and prison sentence in place.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case on March 30, allowing lower court rulings to stand.

That means Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known as Joe Exotic, will continue serving his 21-year federal prison sentence for a murder-for-hire plot targeting Carole Baskin and for multiple wildlife violations.

Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court after lower court rulings

The Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court action follows earlier rulings from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Maldonado-Passage’s legal team argued his conviction should be overturned because some witnesses later recanted testimony.

But the lower court found those claims were not enough to justify a new trial, according to The Washington Post.

The original case drew national attention because of the murder-for-hire allegations and violations involving the Endangered Species Act, with court history available through U.S. Supreme Court orders.

Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court leaves sentence intact

The Joe Exotic appeal denied by Supreme Court outcome keeps his current release timeline unchanged.

Maldonado-Passage was arrested in 2018, convicted in 2019, and originally sentenced to 22 years before that was reduced to 21 years in 2022.

He is currently scheduled for release in 2036, according to 10th Circuit Court case records.

The Supreme Court’s decision appears to close off another major legal path for challenging the conviction.

🔴 MORE RADIO NEWS