Woman who vandalized dental office of lion hunter will do community service

A Bloomington woman has been sentenced to community service and probation for vandalizing the office sign of a Bloomington dentist who drew protests last year for killing a popular lion in Africa.

Kimberly Socha, 41, was convicted in December of criminal damage to property for spray painting "perv" and "scum" on the sign for River Bluff Dental, Dr. Walter Palmer's southwest Bloomington office.

Palmer, a big game hunter, was the object of international outrage after the story spread that he had killed Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe.

Socha, an English instructor at Normandale Community College, received a sentence of 15 days in jail that was commuted to 64 hours of community service.

She also was placed on two years' probation and ordered to avoid contact with Palmer's dental office. The conviction was reduced to a gross misdemeanor.