Extradite Dentist Walter J. Palmer

Zimbabwe calls for extradition of dentist who killed Cecil the lion

Update Sep 19 2015

A special heartfelt thank you to all of you who have signed and shared this petition. And for your passionate support to see Walter J. Palmer the American dentist responsible for taking the life of Cecil the lion brought to justice.

It saddens me to take the position to close this petition early after the recent discovery of an online news article from Conservation Action, where it has been reported that His Excellency R. G. Mugabe’s wife does not wish to see Walter Palmer punished, stating, “I say the dentist who killed the lion must be left alone,”adding that the dentist “was not aware of the importance of Cecil”. Mrs Mugabe’s comments contradict a previous statement by environment minister Oppah Muchinguri, who first announced that Dr Palmer should be extradited to stand trial in Zimbabwe. It was also stated in the article that no papers have been issued requesting Mr. Palmer’s extradition.

This recent update and announcement by the Zimbabwe government is a slap in the face and an insult to the many good people around the world who had their backs. And I cannot in good conscience give my support to the stupidity of those who have their own interests and agenda at heart.

Rest assured that this is not the end of a campaign to see those responsible for Cecil’s killing brought to justice and punished. And I will continue to give my support to animal rights and to see the end of Trophy Hunting.

http://conservationaction.co.za/media-articles/zimbabwe-fails-to-punish-cecils-killers/

My very best wishes to you all.

Chris Anderson

Amid controversy the U.S. Government appears to be dragging its feet having taken no action on the request for the extradition of Minnesota dentist Walter J. Palmer accused of illegally hunting and killing a famed lion known as Cecil in Zimbabwe. Allowing Mr. Palmer to go into hiding, then to reappear and to continue to work at his dental practice with no consequence for his actions.

Mr. Palmer is a seasoned and professional trophy hunter. And while claiming he had no knowledge of what was taking place during the hunt of Cecil the lion, admits to being aware after the fact of a hunt that was wrong to then immediately leaving Zimbabwe, rather than face authorities for questioning.

According to court documents Mr Palmer has a history of lying to avoid any wrong doing when it comes to dealing with the law, having hunted and killed a black bear outside of a zone where he was not permitted to do so. 

In a 75-page investigative report obtained by Fox 9, under the Freedom of Information Act, in October 2006 special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interviewed Mr. Palmer at his Eden Prairie home about a black bear he had killed outside of a zone where he was not permitted to do so. Lying Palmer falsely stated that he had shot the bear legally and within the zone he was allowed to hunt in. During questioning by the agents, he blamed his guides for any mistake, even scolding the federal agents, telling them It was rude for the officers to scare his wife and to show up at somebody's home. When told he may have violated federal law, the dentist said he refused to be threatened. Federal prosecutors handled the case because the bear was taken across state lines.

There was, “a conspiracy by Palmer, the guides, and hunting partners involved to cover up the violation.” One guide claiming that, “Palmer offered me $20,000 or to name my price,” “To lie to any wildlife officer investigating the case.” Stating that Palmer never knew that anything was illegal with his bear.

Palmer eventually pleaded guilty to the charge and faced up to five years in prison but only paid a fine of $3,000 after signing a plea agreement. The plea agreement also called for him to forfeit the remains of the bear to federal authorities.

Walter Palmer posing with the bear he slaughtered with a bow and arrow in Wisconsin, U.S. in 2006, in an area where he did not have permission to hunt.

Cecil the lion was killed on Antionette farm in Gwayi Conservancy in the Hwange district, the Zimbwabe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said. “They went hunting at night with a spotlight and they spotted Cecil,” Johnny Rodrigues, a spokesman for the Zimbwabe Conservation Task Force, told The Guardian. “They tied a dead animal to their vehicle to lure Cecil out of the park and they scented an area about half a kilometre from the park.” Rodrigues said Palmer first shot Cecil with a crossbow, but it did not kill him. They then “tracked him down and found him 40 hours later” and shot him with a rifle, Rodrigues said.

In an article ran by the MailOnline, the Zimbabwe Environment minister, Oppah Muchinguri told a news conference that Walter Palmer, 55, was a “foreign poacher” and said she understood Zimbabwe’s prosecutor general had started the process to have him extradited. “Unfortunately it was too late to apprehend the foreign poacher as he had already absconded to his country of origin,” “We are appealing to the responsible authorities for his extradition to Zimbabwe so that he be made accountable.”  But it appears according to a White House statement, before any legal process can begin of handing over Walter Palmer, it was first reviewing a public petition of more than 100,000 signatures to decide whether or not to extradite him. Why? That’s like seeing how many names will decide a lottery win or loose. And that is not how an extradition treaty works. What a dishonorable way to treat the Zimbabwean government and its people.

Zimbabwean safari operator Honest Ndlovu, right, and fellow countryman and hunter Theo Bronkhorst waiting to appear in Hwange magistrates court. Both have been charged for aiding Mr. Walter Palmer in an illegal hunt. Photo: Reuters

Walter Palmer is accused of paying $50,000 to finance the illegal hunt of Cecil the lion. If he is extradited back to Zimbabwe, and successfully found guilty for financing an illegal hunt and being a poacher, then what would that make of Theo Bronkhorst and Honest Ndlovu who have been charged. Bronkhorst for organising an illegal hunt which led to the lion's death while aiding Mr. Palmer? It may seriously dent their defense of being innocent as they claim, and one of the reasons as to why they and their defense team do not wish to see Mr. Palmer standing trail?

Any citizen who breaks laws in other countries and continents, and attempts to avoid the consequences of their actions is a coward. And where a government supports them by taking no action to bring that person to justice, is disrespectful of international laws and unacceptable.

Mr. Palmer has admitted to visiting Zimbabwe four times in the past, he would have been aware of their laws regardless of whatever he claims he believed his guides knew, had in paper work and ethical hunting. And that spot lighting any animal during a hunt at night in Zimbabwe is illegal. He is either incredibly stupid or chose to ignore those laws. I'll go with the last one, given his willingness to lie to federal agents and bribe others to cover up his past crimes.

We respectfully ask His Excellency R. G. Mugabe to close all boarders to U.S. citizens, and to expel any remaining until the U.S. Government honors its extradition treaty with Zimbabwe, and begins the official process of handing over Mr. Walter J. Palmer to stand trial with those who have already been charged, and for his part in the illegal hunt and killing of Cecil the Lion.

Reiki Master Chris Anderson