Jurors watch videos in zookeeper’s murder-for-hire trial
The Associated Press - March 27, 2019 9:53 am
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jurors have watched videos shared by an Oklahoma zookeeper and former gubernatorial candidate accused of trying to hire someone to kill the operator of a Florida animal sanctuary.
Prosecutors say Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” tried to arrange the killing of Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue.
According to The Oklahoman, jurors were shown a Facebook video Tuesday that depicts Maldonado-Passage shooting a blow-up “Carole” doll in the head. Other videos show him pretending to dig a grave for Baskin and threatening to mail her rattlesnakes.
Maldonado-Passage is also accused of killing five tigers in October 2017 and selling and offering to sell tiger cubs in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
