Jurors see videos in ‘Joe Exotic’ murder-for-hire trial

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.

Attorneys for Maldonado-Passage say the videos weren’t meant to be taken seriously.

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.