Joe Exotic demands new judge for his multi-million dollar lawsuit, claiming his current one is homophobic
‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic was jailed for trying to have an animal rights activist murdered. (Netflix)
Joe Exotic is demanding a new judge for his latest multi-million dollar lawsuit because his current one is homophobic, he claims.
The ‘gun-toting gay redneck’ star of Tiger King is currently serving 22 years in prison for a litany of offences including the illegal trade of wildlife, violations of the Endangered Species Act, and a murder-for-hire plot to kill Carole Baskin.
He recently launched a sprawling $94 million lawsuit against the federal government alleging that he has been subject to civil rights violations, false arrest, false imprisonment, and selective enforcement, among many, many other things.
Joe Exotic reportedly filed a new motion earlier this week, asking judge Scott Palk to recuse himself from the lawsuit because he’s “homophobic”.
In documents obtained by TMZ, Joe claims that Palk has a “tainted” view of him as he’s a proven homophobe and “a gung-ho animal rights activist”.
Judge Palk has already presided over Joe’s many other civil cases over the years, not just the one between him and his nemesis Carole Baskin.
Joe described the judge’s tone with him during the previous proceedings as “hostile” and “agitated,” and claims the judge once told him: “I will make sure you are never around another animal the rest of your life.”
He also says the judge accuses him of “trying to broker a pair of lions to support your husband from jail” – something which Joe expressly denies happening.
But he adds that, in the event that it did happen, it would be totally legal in the state of Texas. Got it.
In any case, having oversight of this extensive and highly questionable legal history has biased the judge against him, Joe believes, and he wants a fresh start with someone else.
It’s a risky move that’s unlikely to win him any favours with the judge in the event that he does continue to preside over the case.
