Dr. Walter Palmer Will Not Be Formally Charged For Cecil The Lion Slaying

Dr. Walter Palmer, who back in July was put into international scrutiny when he was blamed for killing famed lion Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe, will not be formally charged by Zimbabwe prosecution for the slaying. Palmer, who is a lifelong hunter, had killed the rare lion with a bow and arrow on the border of Hwange National Park in Western Zimbabwe.

Environment Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri stated that Palmer had his hunting papers in order so no charges could be filed. “We approached the police and then the prosecutor general, and it turned out that Palmer came to Zimbabwe because all the papers were in order,” Muchinguri-Kashiri told reporters. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force were infuriated with the reporter in keeping with their protest that he had committed a crime.

Palmer, a dentist, has a practice located in Bloomington, M.N., that was shut down in July because of protests and widespread claims put against him. It had re-opened in late August without him being present with the dentist returning back to work in early September, with a sea of protesters and supporters mixed with reporters all trying to get any statements out of him.

While Palmer may not have been formally charged, two more people are facing charges allegedly because of involvement in using bait to lure the lion out of his habitat so he could be slaughtered. They are Theo Bronkhorst, a professional hunter in Zimbabwe, and a game park owner and both have denied the charges. Prosecutors have stated that they would bring in the head of Cecil which was used as a trophy for the hunters to use as evidence if trial were to be called for.

Palmer in the past has stated that he thought the entire hunting session was legal and no intention of hurting the lion knowing it was Cecil.