Joe Exotic Opens Up About His Hatred for Carol Baskin and His Hopes for a New Trial During an Exclusive Interview from a Florida Prison

In a recent phone interview from his prison cell, Joe Exotic, known from the hit series *Tiger King*, spoke candidly about his feelings towards Carol Baskin.

The 55-year-old, who is currently serving a 21-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot, expressed his long-standing frustration with Baskin. Speaking with NBC’s News Channel 8, Exotic revealed his ongoing desire for a new trial and his wish for Baskin to “just leave me alone.”

Exotic, who is battling prostate cancer and potentially lung cancer, also shared his hopes for a presidential pardon.

Despite his current health struggles, he remains vocal about his past accusations against Baskin. He maintains that she was responsible for the disappearance of her second husband, Don Lewis, and has continued to repeat these allegations during his interviews.

Don Lewis, who vanished in August 1997 at age 59, has never been found, and no evidence has confirmed foul play. His disappearance led to a whirlwind of media speculation and controversy.

After Lewis went missing, Baskin, then his wife, took control of his $5 million estate.

Although she was never charged, the case gained international attention with the release of *Tiger King* in March 2020, highlighting the feud between Baskin and Exotic.

The Netflix series shed light on the bitter rivalry between Baskin, an animal rights advocate, and Exotic, a flamboyant zoo owner.

Their conflict escalated to the point where Exotic was accused of plotting to kill Baskin.

Although no concrete evidence of a murder-for-hire plot was found, Exotic’s legal troubles continued, leading to his current imprisonment.

Howard Baskin’s Perspective

In contrast, Howard Baskin, Carol’s current husband, recently broke his silence about the controversy.

He criticized the petting zoo industry and discussed the cruelty faced by cubs. Howard and Carol have since sold their Florida sanctuary and are working on legislative efforts to close unsanctioned petting zoos, such as the “Big Cat Rescue Public Safety Act.”

Legal Battles and Future Hopes

Exotic, who was sentenced in 2019, has been working with attorney John Michael Phillips to challenge his conviction.

While a U.S. appeals court reduced his sentence by a year in 2021, Exotic is not satisfied and is seeking a complete overturn of his conviction.

Despite his current predicament, he continues to maintain his innocence and has even declared his candidacy for president from prison.