Tiger King star Joe Exotic's resentencing hearing will reportedly take place later this month.
As previously reported by OK!, in July, the United States 10th District Court ordered the self-proclaimed "Tiger King" be resentenced, as his 22-year prison sentence was reportedly vacated by a federal appeals court.
Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was arrested in 2018 after he allegedly hired two hitmen to kill Carole Baskin. He was convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire for a plot to kill the Big Cat Rescue CEO, and was sentenced in January 2020. He has maintained his innocence.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, U.S. District Judge Scott Palk set Friday, January 28, for the resentencing. The federal judge is said to have granted the TV personality's request to be transported to Oklahoma City for the hearing.
"Justice for Joseph A Maldonado (aka @joe_exotic) finally has a start date- January 28, 2022. It will be his re-sentencing hearing. More details to come," Exotic's attorney John M. Phillips shared on Instagram.
The court ruled over the summer that the 58-year old's advisory sentencing range should have been calculated at 17 and a half years to 21 years, 10 months, rather than the longer-range which was reportedly used, NBC News reported. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver is said to have determined that the trial court had treated the two murder-for-hire convictions separately in calculating his prison term. The appeals panel reportedly ruled that they should have been grouped together because they had the same goal.
Last month, the reality star announced that he has cancer. He was reportedly delaying the treatment for his prostate cancer until after his resentencing, per USA Today. Federal officials reportedly said that he would need radiation treatments for up to eight weeks and would not be able to travel during that time.
At the time, Exotic reportedly filed a motion to request that his sentencing be scheduled between January 20 and January 31 "given the declination of radiation and the ability to postpone it pursuant to his own doctors," the publication reported. "Additionally, if Mr. Maldonado is released within the next six to 18 months, more advanced options are available to him," the document reportedly read.
Exotic shot to fame after Tiger King began streaming on Netflix in March 2020. The second season came out in November.
