Joe Exotic is taking a Patrick Henry approach to the possibility of catching COVID-19 -- if the world gives him COVID, then give him death too ... or something like that.
TMZ has obtained an email the 'Tiger King' sent to his Tiger Team -- which is also helping him in his pardon efforts -- and it spells his intentions out clearly ... JE does NOT want to be put on a ventilator in a worst-case scenario should he contract coronavirus.
He writes, "Filled out an advance directive to not be put on a ventilator or life support if I get COVID." He goes on to say that people are dropping like flies at the prison he's at in Fort Worth ... adding that staff and inmates are getting sicker by the day.
He's not entirely wrong about the numbers ... FMC Fort Worth has a listed 12 deaths linked to COVID, with 58 inmates and 27 staffers currently positive. That said, FMC has a decently high recovery rate -- 650 inmates and staffers combined have beaten the 'Rona.
As for why Joe would opt for death rather than being kept alive ... his rep, Eric Love, tells us it's a quality of life issue, one that Joe embraced even before the pandemic even hit.