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It’s been a few weeks but remember Cecil The Lion? The dentist that killed the beloved Zimbabwe lion has emerged publicly and broke his silence, all while hoping to return to a life of normalcy after become one of the most-hated men in the world.

As reported by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Dr. Walter J. Palmer of Eden Prarie, Minn. spoke publicly this past Sunday regarding the death of Ceci The Lion. Palmer, a big-game hunter, said he intends to return to his dental practice this coming Tuesday, but it appears to be a rough road ahead for him.

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Walter J. Palmer, of Eden Prairie, meeting face to face in Minneapolis with two reporters for his first interview since Cecil the lion’s death, fielded questions for 20 minutes about his safari hunt in early July and the passionate worldwide condemnation that has compelled him to keep a low profile.

The 55-year-old Bloomington dentist, who has yet to be charged with a crime, on Sunday also reaffirmed what he has said since he was identified by London news media six weeks ago as the hunter who took down Cecil with a compound bow: that the hunt was legal and that he and the others in his party had no clue that the lion was the revered 13-year-old with the distinctive black mane.

Palmer declined to address whether he would abide by any request, either informal or through extradition proceedings, to return to Zimbabwe to answer legal allegations.

“I have a lot of staff members, and I’m a little heartbroken at the disruption in their lives,” said the casually dressed Palmer, calm and all business, during the back and forth as attorney Joe Friedberg and a public relations consultant flanked him in what the dentist said would be his only media availability. “And I’m a health professional. I need to get back to my staff and my patients, and they want me back. That’s why I’m back.”

Palmer maintained he wasn’t in hiding but did share with the Associated Press that his family received threats after news of Cecil’s death began to spread worldwide.

Read more of the exclusive Minneapolis Star Tribune interview with Dr. Walter J. Palmer, the dentist who killed Cecil The Lion, by following this link.

Watch this ABC News report in the video below.

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Photo: AP