Joe Exotic Fears That His Cancer May Have Spread: "I Am Going to Let It Take Me"

Joe Exotic's health update is not too good. The convicted felon reportedly shared that he fears the worst. Details inside.

Tatayana Yomary - Author
By

Aug. 11 2021, Published 6:08 p.m. ET

Ever since Joe Exotic (real name: Joseph Maldonado-Passage) was convicted for a murder-for-hire plot, the Tiger King: Madness, Murder, and Mayhem star has been cooling his heels in federal prison. While there have been talks about the Joe getting released from prison early, for the time being, he’s been very candid about his experiences behind bars. And his truth has been heartbreaking for fans to hear.

Article continues below advertisement

While Joe already confirmed his prostate cancer diagnosis, it looks like his condition has worsened. So, what is the update on Joe Exotic’s health? And what's going on with his prison sentence? Read on as we give you the 4-1-1.

Article continues below advertisement

Joe Exotic revealed that he hasn't had any treatment since his prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2021.

The lack of adequate medical care in prisons across the U.S. is nothing new, but now, Joe Exotic’s health update is shining more light on the issue.

In an interview with The Sun, Joe opened up about not being able to get any type of treatment and fearing for his life.

“I have been waiting for a colonoscopy and endoscopy since October,” Joe said to the outlet. “Medical treatment in a prison is worse than at any humane society for dogs.”

Article continues below advertisement
Source: Twitter

The former tiger breeder went on to share that prison medics believe that his cancer has spread, due to his current symptoms.

“They are concerned it is in my stomach and pelvis,” Joe explained. “I have not had any treatment or anything since May. I puke when I pee — the pain is that bad.”

Article continues below advertisement

Joe revealed that not only is the pain unbearable, he’s also lost weight and limps when he walks. Making matters worse, Joe can only hope to be taken to a specialist to see what exactly is going on.

Article continues below advertisement

“When we find out where and how bad it is, I will decide if I am going to do treatment,” Joe told the outlet. “If it's stage three or four, I am going to let it take me.”

Joe Exotic continues to maintain his innocence.

Despite Joe’s medical issues, he is still sticking to his innocence. The Netflix star was convicted on "two charges of trying to pay assassins to kill Carole Baskin, eight counts for faking wildlife records, and nine counts involving his killing and selling tigers, which are an endangered species," per BuzzFeed News.

Article continues below advertisement
Source: Twitter

In fact, Joe’s team has been busy working on appealing his case, but their latest efforts only produced a small win.

BuzzFeed reports that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upheld the reality star's conviction in July 2021. However, they ordered for Joe Exotic to be resentenced, since there was an error when they initially calculated his sentence.

Article continues below advertisement

The federal court said that at the time of Joe's sentencing in January 2020, the judge didn’t group together the two counts, despite that they ''shared a common criminal objective” and were part of the same “course of conduct.”

If Joe’s two counts of murder-for-hire convictions were indeed grouped together initially, it turns out that his prison sentence could be as low as 17-and-a-half years.

Now, Joe’s team awaits the court’s decision on modifying his 22-year sentence.

Advertisement
More from Distractify

Latest Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness News and Updates

    Opt-out of personalized ads

    © Copyright 2023 Distractify. Distractify is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.