By Tim Ghianni
NASHVILLE, Feb 16 (Reuters) – A Kentucky snake-handling
preacher who appeared in a television show about the religious
practice died of a snakebite after refusing medical treatment,
authorities said on Sunday.
Jamie Coots was found dead at about 10 p.m. EST on Saturday
(0300 GMT on Sunday) at his house in Middlesboro, Kentucky,
according to Middlesboro Police Chief Jeff Sharpe.
Emergency personnel had gone to his home about 90 minutes
earlier after getting a call, police said.
They found Coots suffering from a snakebite wound to his
right hand, Sharpe said in a statement.
“After examination and discussion of possible dangers if the
wound was not treated, treatment and transport to the hospital
was refused,” the statement said.
The emergency responders left after failing to persuade
Coots to get help but returned less than an hour later, the
statement said.
They “discovered Mr. Coots had passed away, apparently due
to a venomous snakebite,” it said.
Coots appeared in a National Geographic television show
titled “Snake Salvation” about Pentecostal preachers who defy
the law to use serpents as part of their religious services.
Snake-handling, which is illegal in most places, is
practiced as a test of faith and guided by the theory that true
believers will not be harmed.
It is particularly popular in parts of Appalachia.
Middlesboro lies near the junction of Kentucky, Virginia and
Tennessee and is about 60 miles (100 km) north of Knoxville,
Tennessee.
Videos on the online site YouTube credited to
pastorcoots2012 depict serpent handling services at his Full
Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name church.
They show him and congregation members dancing with snakes
in their arms as music plays.
Appearing last year on ABC’s “Nightline,” Coots said he had
been bitten nine times, including once that cost him a part of a
finger.
“If the Bible told me to jump out of an airplane, I would,”
he said on the show.
About a year ago, Coots was charged in Tennessee with
illegally possessing poisonous snakes.
As part of a plea deal, he surrendered the snakes and his
sentence of just under a year in jail was suspended, according
to local media.
(Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Jonathan Oatis)
