A 48-year-old man from Star City, Arkansas, is facing manslaughter charges related to the death of his 39-year-old cousin in a dog mauling incident.
A known dog training enthusiast, Scott McCool, was arrested on Thursday, January 18, 2024, and booked into the Lincoln County Jail.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Scott McCool’s dogs, allegedly trained for coordinated attacks, mauled James McCool to death on October 29, 2023.
The affidavit suggests that Scott McCool’s training methods might have instilled a strong prey drive in the dogs from an early age.
Witnesses expressed concerns about the dogs’ aggression, fearing attacks in Scott McCool’s absence. However, Scott McCool contends that there has been a misidentification between his dogs and a neighbor’s.
Authorities allege that Scott McCool’s training practices and his failure to properly contain his dogs led to the fatal incident.
McCool claims his cousin died of natural causes, and the dogs only interacted with the body after death. He asserts that the dogs were secured on his property at the time of the incident.
James McCool, a wheelchair user, reportedly had a friendly relationship with the dogs and frequently spent time on the front porch of his home next door to Scott’s home. But after he was evicted from his residence, he moved into Scott McCool’s house, just a few days before he was killed.
In his defense, Scott McCool, who is also known as “Sam McCool” on YouTube where he has videos showing him training dogs, characterizes his dogs as defensive but not trained for attack. He has publicly stated his refusal to plead guilty, upholding his innocence and principles. He insists that his dogs were contained in the backyard and that James was on the porch. As of now, he has not entered a plea, according to court records.
Legal proceedings in this matter are ongoing. Scott McCool is awaiting further court action after posting a $25,000 bond.