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'Tiger King' Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison for murder-for-hire charges

'Tiger King' Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison for murder-for-hire charges
IN SOME WAYS THE JOE EXOTIC I SAW IN COURT TODAY WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE FROM THREE YEARS AGO. HE’S OLDER HIS HAIR IS GONE. AND IT’S A LOT LONGER IN SOME WAYS. HE W TASHE SAME THOUGH. HE GAVE A SIMILAR SPEECH TO THE JUDGE AND HIS LAWYERS SAY THEY'R’ FREE HIM BUT THAT WILL BE A FHTIG FOR ANOTHER DAY TODAY JUDGE SCOTT PARK PRESIDING OVER A PACKED CORE ROOM HERE TO RESENTENCE JOE. HE HAD TO FIX WHAT AN APPLSEA COURT FOUND WAS ILLEGAL ERROR WITH THE FIRST SENTENCE HIS NEW SENTENCE DROPPED BY JUST ONE YEAR THE FORMER ZOO KEEPER WHO’S ALRE NAME IS JOSEPH MALDONADO SPEAKING IN COURT TODAY AGAIN SAYING HE’S INNOCENT AND TELLING THE JUDGE WITH HIS HEALTH CONDITNS QIOUOTE, WHATEVER I GET SENTENC. IS A DEATH SENTENCE TO ME. I’M ASKING FOR A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE THE WOMAN HE WAS CONVICTED OF PLOTTING TO HAVE KILLED CAROL BASKIN MADE THE TRIP TO OKLAHOMA. SHE TOLD THE JUDGE SHE FEARED HIM NOW MORE THAN WHEN HE WAS FIRST SENTENCED. SHE SAID TODAY SHE THOUGHT THE JUDGE WAS FAIR JOE’S LAWYERS. MEANWHILE SAY THEIR FIGHT CONTINUES. NTEDWA RID OF JOE PEOPLE WANTED RID OF JOE BYNY A MEANS NECESSARY AND THEY WON. FOR NO
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'Tiger King' Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison for murder-for-hire charges
An Oklahoma City federal judge Friday again sentenced Joe Exotic to two decades in prison.The re-sentencing came after an appeals court said there was an error the first time around. He received a 22-year sentence that time. On Friday, he received a 21-year sentence.At his court appearance on Friday, Joe Exotic looked older, with longer, grayer hair. In other ways, he was the same. He gave a similar speech to the judge, and his lawyers say they’re going to free him. But that will be a fight for another day.U.S. District Judge Scott Palk presided over a packed courtroom to re-sentence Joe Exotic to fix what an appeals court found was a legal error.His sentence was reduced by a year.Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — was convicted in a murder-for-hire case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both were featured in Netflix’s "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.""Whatever I get sentenced (to) is a death sentence to me. I’m asking for a second chance at life," he told the judge.Prosecutors say Maldonado-Passage tried to hire two people — including an undercover FBI agent — to kill Baskin, who’d criticized his treatment of animals. But Maldonado-Passage’s attorneys said he wasn’t being serious. Baskin attended the sentencing in Oklahoma City.Last month, attorneys said Maldonado-Passage was delaying prostate cancer treatment until after his re-sentencing. His legal team has argued that the two counts against him should have been combined, which would have lowered his overall sentence by more than four years.Baskin made the trip to Oklahoma for the proceeding. She told the judge she feared him more now than when he was first sentenced.She said she thought the judge was fair.Joe Exotic's lawyers say the fight will continue."They wanted to get rid of Joe. People wanted rid of Joe, and they won. For now," said John Phillips, one of his attorneys.The Associated Press contributed to this story.

An Oklahoma City federal judge Friday again sentenced Joe Exotic to two decades in prison.

The re-sentencing came after an appeals court said there was an error the first time around. He received a 22-year sentence that time. On Friday, he received a 21-year sentence.

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At his court appearance on Friday, Joe Exotic looked older, with longer, grayer hair. In other ways, he was the same. He gave a similar speech to the judge, and his lawyers say they’re going to free him.

But that will be a fight for another day.

U.S. District Judge Scott Palk presided over a packed courtroom to re-sentence Joe Exotic to fix what an appeals court found was a legal error.

His sentence was reduced by a year.

Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — was convicted in a murder-for-hire case involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Both were featured in Netflix’s "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness."

"Whatever I get sentenced (to) is a death sentence to me. I’m asking for a second chance at life," he told the judge.

Prosecutors say Maldonado-Passage tried to hire two people — including an undercover FBI agent — to kill Baskin, who’d criticized his treatment of animals. But Maldonado-Passage’s attorneys said he wasn’t being serious. Baskin attended the sentencing in Oklahoma City.

Last month, attorneys said Maldonado-Passage was delaying prostate cancer treatment until after his re-sentencing. His legal team has argued that the two counts against him should have been combined, which would have lowered his overall sentence by more than four years.

Baskin made the trip to Oklahoma for the proceeding. She told the judge she feared him more now than when he was first sentenced.

She said she thought the judge was fair.

Joe Exotic's lawyers say the fight will continue.

"They wanted to get rid of Joe. People wanted rid of Joe, and they won. For now," said John Phillips, one of his attorneys.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.