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Ving Rhames Clears His Dogs' Name

Tue., Aug. 14, 2007 11:08 AM PDT by Sarah Hall

Ving Rhames has finally spoken up about the tragic death of an employee on his property earlier this month.

The actor issued a statement Monday expressing his sorrow over the incident, as well as his relief that his dogs were apparently not to blame.

Though the coroner's report on the official cause of Jacob Adam's death has yet to be released, Rhames seems to have reason to believe that his pooches were not the culprits.

"I was out of the country when this shocking and terrible tragedy occurred on my property," Rhames said. "Jacob Adams was not just a devoted employee—he was also a dear friend. I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to his family.

"I am relieved to know that the coroner's report confirmed that my dogs were not the cause of his death and that any wounds found on his body were superficial.

"I would appreciate the media's privacy for me and my family during this difficult time," he concluded.

Though Adams, 40, had numerous dog bites all over his body when he was discovered, it fell to the coroner to determine whether a heart attack or some other event preceded the mauling.

Toxicology and other test results are expected back in several weeks. However, an initial report by police apparently determined that Adams did not die as a result of the injuries inflicted by the dogs.

"The biggest thing for us all right now is we still don't know what the cause of death is," Adams' brother, Howard Adams, told the Toronto Star. "All we know at this point is that the dog bites weren't sufficient to cause the death. But there is no apparent or obvious cause of death."

According to the preliminary coroner's report, the dog bites on Adams' body were only around his arms and legs. The coroner said victims of fatal animal attacks typically have wounds around the head and neck, leading him to believe that something else caused Adams' death.

Adams, an aspiring actor and screenwriter, had worked for Rhames as a caretaker for about two years and was one of the people responsible for caring for four dogs on the property—three bull mastiffs and an English bulldog.

Authorities believe that two of the mastiffs—each weighing about 200 pounds—were involved in the attack. All four dogs were seized as part of the investigation.