Although Joe Exotic remains behind bars, another Tiger King star sees his remaining convictions get dismissed.
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According to TMZ, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who was convicted of charges tied to buying lion cubs from a Virginia zoo owner in 2018 and 2019, has received a legal win as Virginia’s Supreme Court threw out his convictions in the case.
The state’s highest court ruled that the law prosecutors used in the case never actually made it illegal to purchase the animals. It was also reported that the state justices found the statute bans the sale of endangered species. However, it does not ban the purchase of animals.
As a result of the ruling, Antle’s conspiracy convictions have been tossed.
Speaking out about the latest legal development, Antle stated that the decision was a “total vindication.”
“Today, the highest court in Virginia confirmed what I have said since the day these charges were filed,” he said. “I broke no law. Not one.”
Despite the legal win, Antle’s legal woes are far from over. Last summer, the Myrtle Beach Safari owner received a 12-month sentence in federal prison after admitting to wildlife trafficking. He also admitted to conspiracy charges involving money laundering involving cheetahs, lions, tigers, and a chimpanzee.
Antkle was then hit with a $55,000 fine.
Prosecutor Patrick Duggan previously stated, “[Antle] was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling.”
Prosecutors further pointed out that Antle sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers, and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork for a decade. He was further accused of laundering more than $500,000 to obtain cash to buy more animals quickly.
As part of his plea deal, Antle was forced to give up three chimpanzees.
Joe Exotic Was Recently Denied Federal Appeal
Weeks before Antle’s legal win, Joe Exotic was denied a federal appeal.
Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is set to continue serving his 21-year prison sentence after a judge rejected his latest federal appeal.
The appeal would have reduced his sentence by eight years.
Maldonado-Passage was sentenced to more than two decades behind bars after he was found guilty in a murder-for-hire plot against his rival, Carole Baskin, twice.
His legal team believes that his sentence was considered “double jeopardy.” This is because it’s being served sequentially rather than concurrently.