One of the earliest and least expected hits in the post-Covid era was Netflix’s “Tiger King”.
The provocative docu-series that captured some of the most eccentric figures on camera quickly became an international hit, with multiple productions working on a dramatized version of the story.
The core of the story revolved around the fierce rivalry between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for attempting to hire a hitman to execute Baskin.
On Monday, a federal judge in Oklahoma ruled to give Baskin the control over the 16 acres and various properties of the grounds where Exotic used to own a zoo. Currently, the zoo is operated by Jeff Lowe, who was also a prominent character in the documentary.
The ruling gave the zoo, Greater Wynnewood Development Group, 120 days to vacate the premises that includes removing the animals that are currently in the zoo.
Lowe’s lawyer told reporters that this ruling was expected. The lawyer said that they did not challenger her claims in court because they believed it would prove futile in the end.
He continued to explain that his client’s focus was on opening a new zoo – Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma – which Lowe expects will be finished within the 120 days time that they have been given. It was implied that all animals current on display at the zoo will be moved to the new zoo.
As it was documented in the Netflix series, this is not the first legal battle that the two rivals have been involved in. In 2011, Baskin won a trademark infringement case against Exotic. Exotic had been running a Youtube channel that the court deemed as an obvious hack of Baskin’s Big Cat Sanctuary.
The ruling ordered that Exotic give Baskin $1 million in reparations, which Exotic claimed was a financial assassination in the documentary.point 277 |
5 years later, Baskin once again was awarded properties that was under Exotic’s mother as the court ruled that this was an evasive move to not pay his $1 million reparation.point 149 | 1
CNN reports that they have reached out to Baskin for her comments, but had not heard back as of this writing. Share with us your thoughts on this story, and be sure to follow us on Facebook for more stories like this one.
Replaced!