Tiger Tales: Joe Exotic's Push For Presidential Pardon

Joe Exotic is an innocent man, that’s according to his newly assembled team of attorneys and one passionate private investigator.

They’re so sure they traveled to our nation’s capital, and in over the top fashion called on the president for Joe’s pardon.

There was no shortage of fanfare along the way. Much like Joe himself, the effort to free him is flashy and over the top.

“It's like a rolling Whataburger on wheels,” said private investigator Eric Love.

Plastered on the side of a massive bus, complete with its own jumbo-tron is a familiar face.

“Right now, I have chains around my legs and this because I’m guilty before I even get proved innocent,” said Joe Maldonado-Passage.         

A face Eric Love, private investigator and philanthropist, is vehemently defending.

"If I can look at a case, especially an underdog case and finally see all the items I’m looking for, it’s like, you know when a good song is good, you know if it sucks. If it's good I’m doing it. I’m in,” said Love.

Following the Netflix series Tiger King, the PI took a look at Joe Exotic's case.

Unable to email or call him due to a COVID-19 lockdown, the retired police officer put pen to paper.

“The old school mail in and out,” said Love.

He’s been writing to Joe who's now being housed in a Ft Worth prison.

"After looking at what I know about the case and have pulled information, I think I can get you out," said Love.

Despite serving a 22-year sentence for two counts of murder for hire and a laundry list of animal offenses.

Love said not only is Joe not guilty, he's a victim.

“If they've watched the show, or if they've been to the zoo, they love him. He's a lovable character, a lovable person,” said Love.      

Love is the driving force behind Team Tiger- an assembly of eight attorneys, and a small circus of stuntmen and marketing all working for free on Joe's behalf.

“We're driven by passion, we're driven by purpose and we're driven to right wrongs,” said Love.

In bigger than Texas fashion, just last week Team Tiger spent 22 hours navigating their way east.

“It's just massive 60 plus feet long, double decker, multiple restrooms, bunks, outside party deck. It feels like we're running for president, right?” said Love.

The president is already somewhat familiar with the case.

With a little hard work Love said they intend to bring new information surrounding the case to light.

“If you read the indictment, they called me. I didn't call them. they called me day after day, after day, entrapment,” said Maldonado-Passage.

"There’s so many problems, may be the witnesses, could be a tainted jury that didn’t get to hear evidence that was available," said Love.

In addition to Team Tiger's efforts, Maldonado-Passage wrote to the president for a pardon writing, "I know by seeing your passion and conviction regarding our rights as American Citizens that this isn't what you meant by your belief to "Let's Make America Great Again."

And while his request fell on deaf ears Love said this time it will be different -- vowing to spring Joe Exotic from his cage.

“There's no windows, there's no tv. There's nothing. You lay in your cot and stare at the wall,” said Maldonado-Passage.

“The redemption of this case this will be the redemption of Joe Exotic. This case will set a precedent when we are done with it,” said Love.

In a letter, Joe said he's not able to communicate much from prison.

In it he said others are afraid of the truth getting out and said the mental torture is taking a toll on him.

He's also asking Governor Stitt to support a presidential pardon.