An Upper Township man charged in connection with a double shooting that left one man dead pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

William Cooper, 48, of 2827 County Road 21, Ironton, was indicted earlier this week on one count of murder and one count of second-degree felonious assault, each also carries an additional firearms charge.

Cooper appeared before Judge Richard Walton because Judge Frank McCown was handling a another case. Cooper remained incarcerated in the Lawrence County Jail Thursday after Walton set a bond at $500,000 cash or $1 million property.

A pre-trial hearing for the case was set for 1 p.m. Aug. 3. McCown will likely handle the case.

Cooper was arrested July 2 and accused of shooting and killing Scott Marcum of Ironton and shooting and seriously injuring Orlan &uot;J.R.&uot; Harper Jr., also of Ironton.

The incident allegedly began with a dispute between the two victims and Cooper's son.