Details about the lion hunt that caused outrage across globe

Protestors gather outside Dr. Walter James Palmer's dental office in Bloomington, Minn., Wednesday, July 29, 2015. Palmer reportedly paid $50,000 to track and kill Cecil, a black-maned lion, just outside Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt) Protestors gather outside Dr. Walter James Palmer's dental office in Bloomington, Minn., Wednesday, July 29, 2015. Palmer reportedly paid $50,000 to track and kill Cecil, a black-maned lion, just outside Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)

By Associated Press July 30, 2015 3 min read

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Minnesota dentist has been publicly condemned for killing a protected lion in Zimbabwe, and a hired guide has been charged with a crime. Here are some details about the case that has gained global attention.

THE HUNTER

Walter James Palmer, 55, is a dentist in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington. He’s an active big-game hunter and has many kills to his name. His clinic’s website, which is no longer online, said he enjoys outdoor activities and, “Anything allowing him to stay active and observe and photograph wildlife is where you will find Dr. Palmer when he not in the office.”

In a letter to patients, he said that he rarely talked about his hunting with them because he understands they may have different views and it is a “divisive and emotionally charged topic.”

THE HUNT