DENVER, Colo. (KFOR) – Might Joe Unique be spending much less time behind bars? One knowledgeable says a brand new determination from a US Court docket of Appeals might result in a shorter sentence for the Tiger King.
The story of Joe Maldonado Passage aka ‘Joe Unique’ continues.
Right this moment, Choose Phillips of the US Tenth Circuit Court docket of Appeals handed down the choice that Unique’s convictions stand, however a Federal choose should resentence him.
“Right this moment my sentence was vacated which we knew was, uh, absolute crap to start out with,” mentioned Joe Unique on the cellphone from federal jail right this moment.
Again in 2019, the notorious showman from the Wynnewood Unique Animal Park was convicted on two counts of homicide for rent involving plots in opposition to fellow large cat handler Carole Baskin. He was additionally discovered responsible on 17 counts involving wrongdoing along with his animals.
In 2023, a federal choose then handed down a 22-year sentence for his crimes.
However Joe Unique and his attorneys appealed the choice and the sentencing and Wednesday, an appellate court docket saying “we affirm the conviction however vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing.“
“What the tenth Circuit has mentioned is that we aren’t going to overturn the conviction. We’re not saying the court docket made any faulty rulings throughout the trial portion however, at sentencing the court docket misapplied the that means of among the guideline guidelines,“ mentioned OKC trial lawyer Jacqui Ford.
These tips concerned the 2 homicide for rent convictions that have been initially to be 9 years every and ordered to be served consecutively.
“The appellate court docket, on this case, went to nice lengths to say the choose didn’t screw this up, that that is was an inexpensive misinterpretation of the rules, however by their steerage they need him to group a few of these convictions collectively to see if with the grouping, the sentence must be modified,” mentioned Ford.
Ford says this might lead to some years being shaved off his sentence. However Unique says this can be a ray of hope for freedom.
“This is step one of proving that the choose made a mistake, uh, proper together with the opposite errors that every little thing was made throughout my case with not exhibiting the proof, hiding evident and overlaying up proof,” mentioned Maldonado-Passage.
The Tiger King now calling on President Joe Biden, very similar to he did with President Donald Trump final 12 months, to take motion.
“President Biden in case you are listening or hear this, that is the time it is advisable be a world hero and signal that pardon and name this sufficient is sufficient,” mentioned Unique.
Ford says that is neither an unusual nor a frequent incidence to vacate a sentencing.
Ford additionally says she didn’t assume the excessive profile of the case compelled the choice. She says the tenth circuit offers with circumstances like Joe Unique’s on a regular basis.
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PETA officers issuing an announcement right this moment saying partly.
“‘Joe Unique’ nonetheless has a few years in jail forward of him, his convictions for gunning down 5 endangered tigers and different wildlife crimes stand.”
No date has been set but for resentencing.
