Cookeville Man Charged With Beating, Stabbing Raccoon

A Cookeville man will make a court appearance next month for a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge.

An arrest warrant accuses John L. Phillips of beating and stabbing a raccoon to death on Monday.

Cookeville Police Officer Matthew Franey reports that Phillips beat the animal with a wrench after trapping it in a cage. He allegedly took the raccoon out of the cage and started kicking it like a football.

The arrest report said Phillips eventually stabbed the animal to death. He has a court date scheduled for December 9.