For those who might be interested I present a factual essay based on evidence never presented during the trial…
Joseph Maldonado-Passage has been unjustly and unfairly accused of things that simply are not true. In this piece I would like to state the known facts that might have escaped notice. Two key witnesses to the events leading up to his arrest were never allowed to testify in the case, Anne Patrick and John Reinke (John managed the park for Joe for over 14 years). The animal abuse charges themselves are downright wrong. Anyone who has been around animals either in the wild or in captivity know full well that illness occurs, often rampantly at that. The skeletons found on the property were in fact animals that had either passed from such illnesses or age. There was even a vet who worked on premises in case any of the animals needed to be humanely put down due to said illnesses, etc. as Anne Patrick herself can testify to. The five charges of cub trafficking from Dr. Green were also a mistake according to his own secretary. I do understand that the charges brought against him were severe, but the sentence is so long as to qualify as cruel and unusual punishment in and of itself.
The series which was seen by millions from all over the world was edited to show Joseph’s character in a less than flattering light and did not even touch on the fact that he had worked tirelessly to help the homeless, elderly, disabled, and his community as a whole. There was no mention to that or to the fact that the animals he cared for were well loved and well cared for up until they were taken from his care and given to the people he trusted who not only betrayed him, but who also underhandedly set him up in regards to Carole Baskin. It would seem that they had it all planned beforehand.
The prosecutors in the case relied solely on the word of two known felons Jeff Lowe and Allen Glover. Lowe later went on to benefit from the trial by taking possession of Joseph’s animals and park before it was awarded to Carole Baskin. There is even James Garretson who claims that Jeff Lowe had offered him $100,000 to set up Joseph. Anne Patrick was also asked by Lowe personally if she could get someone to kill Carol. Which leads one to wonder why Lowe himself was not charged in regard to that as well.
Timothy Stark can also verify that Joseph never illegally sold him anything, and that Lowe himself had told him they did in fact in set Joseph up to take the fall. Stark can also testify that in regards to the charges of the illegal sale that Joseph did with a lion to him, a white lion cub and the other were an eleven week old orange tiger that he supposedly sold Stark and the third one’s something about a health certificate for that orange tiger, that Joseph gave him said animals and there was no sale involved whatsoever. Stark himself admits that no one from the federal government or Joseph’s attorneys during the trial ever contacted him either. Allen Glover even admitted to Stark that he had to “rehearse” for what to say to the Feds during the trial which only goes to show that Glover was coached in regards to what to say on the stand during the trial. Timothy has also said in regards to Glover, “Yeah, he said, in one case he said he never went to Florida, the next time he was on there, he said he did and then he apparently chickened out, that he was supposedly just ran off with Joe’s money and went and got high and partied with it. You know, it was no intention for him to ever go to Carol Baskin, that’s why the very second Allen left Jeff let James Garretson call Carol Baskin, to warn her to make it look like it was all about to kill Carol Baskin.” Stark also states that Garretson can verify that. Given all of this it would seem that perhaps Baskin was in fact in on the set up from the start. The Federal Prosecutor herself clearly stated they had absolutely no proof in regards to the murder the for hire. Timothy also mentions Joseph himself did not pay the federal agent so much as a penny. If that is the case how can anyone be charged with murder for hire?
The Endangered Species Act also doesn’t apply in regards to the tigers that were shot as Tigers bred in the United States were removed from the Act in 1998. The said tigers were put down due to dire health disorders, much in the way one sometimes has to do with livestock. Joseph himself clearly states that method was approved by the USDA who ordered them to be put down, and as such there is surely record of that somewhere.
All in all, it seems like Joseph has been charged without all the facts even being weighed which means the verdict could not have possibly been reached fairly. A truly kind-hearted man, who himself ran for President in an attempt to further help those who cannot help themselves is now facing the loss of 22 years of his life, due mainly to having trusted the wrong people. People who seem to have been perhaps, even working alongside Baskin herself to bring about his downfall. I do think that given the chance to resume his Freedom Joseph Maldonado-Passage would go on to not only continue to offer hope and encouragement to those who are down on their luck in whatever community he chooses to reside, but he also possesses the potential to encourage and educate the masses in regards to animal welfare. As a man who has long championed for both animal and human rights it seems a sore injustice that he should have to give up so much of his life due to the actions of others who seem to have no one’s interest in mind but their own.