Just Because It's Trending Doesn't Mean It's True

Dentist Who Killed Cecil The Lion Demonized

  • by: Alan Duke
  • (Thu, 30 Jul 2015 17:56:56 Z)

The outrage against a Minnesota dentist accused of killing Cecil, a protected lion at the national park in Zimbabwe, grew into a fever pitch -- including an emotional segment on Jimmy Kimmel LIve.

The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) released a statement identifying the poacher as Walter Palmer of Eden Prairie, Minnessota. Dr. Palmer paid $50,000 to a company to help him track and kill the lion.

Palmer has been cited and charged previously in 2008 for lying to federal agents about where he shot and killed a black bear in Wisconsin, according to the Associated Press.

Watch this AFP Newslook video of the Zimbabwe National Park chief:

Lead Stories' Trendolizer scours social nets worldwide constantly to find the hottest trend stories about Cecil the Lion and poaching. Scroll down to see the latest.

About the author:

Editor-in-Chief Alan Duke co-founded Lead Stories after ending a 26-year career with CNN, where he mainly covered entertainment, current affairs and politics. Duke closely covered domestic terrorism cases for CNN, including the Oklahoma City federal building bombing, the UNABOMBER and search for Southeast bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. CNN moved Duke to Los Angeles in 2009 to cover the entertainment beat. Duke also co-hosted a daily podcast with former HLN host Nancy Grace, "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace" and hosted the podcast series "Stan Lee's World: His Real Life Battle with Heroes & Villains." You'll also see Duke in many news documentaries, including on the Reelz channel, CNN and HLN.

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