Ark. Man Who Allegedly Trained His Dogs to 'Attack in a Pack' Arrested After Animals Kill Cousin: Police

Scott McCool has been charged with manslaughter in the Oct. 29 death of his cousin James McCool

• Scott McCool says his dogs didn't kill his cousin, but fed on his body after the man died of natural causes

• He tells PEOPLE, "I am definitely not going to plead guilty for killing someone, because I didn't"

• Authorities allege the dogs were "allowed to run free," but Scott claims his dogs were contained on his property

An Arkansas man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the October death of his cousin.

Scott McCool was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Lincoln County Jail, court records show.

According to a probable cause affidavit reviewed by PEOPLE, a pack of dogs belonging to McCool were "allowed to run free," and mauled James McCool, 39, to death on Oct. 29.

Scott, 48, runs a YouTube channel focused on training dogs. Authorities claim in the affidavit that the videos show Scott training the dogs "to attack in a pack like manner and have a prey drive at a young age."

Witnesses told authorities they feared the dogs would attack them if they walked into Scott’s yard when he was not around, the affidavit states. (Scott, however, tells PEOPLE one witness confused his dogs with those of a neighbor.)

Authorities claim in the affidavit that Scott's training methods, and his alleged "neglect to keep his dogs contained,” led to James’ death.

Scott, who was released from jail after posting $25,000 bond, refutes these claims and says his cousin died of natural causes, and that the dogs were feeding on his corpse.

“My dogs were contained in my yard, and this happened on my front porch,” he tells PEOPLE.

He says James, who used a wheelchair, would often sit on the front porch of his former home next door, and was friendly with Scott's dogs. James had moved into Scott’s home days prior to his death, following an eviction.

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Scott, who goes by “Sam McCool” on social media, says his dogs can be defensive, but are “not attack dogs.” 

He has not entered a plea, per court records.

"I am definitely not going to plead guilty for killing someone, because I didn't," he tells PEOPLE. "I stand by my word, I stand by my principles."

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