Former Kentucky Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines has been indicted on one count of murder of a public official in the shooting death of District Judge Kevin Mullins. The Letcher County grand jury issued the indictment, and Stines is scheduled for arraignment on Nov. 25.
The incident occurred on Sept. 19 when Stines, 43, allegedly shot Mullins, 54, multiple times in his chambers. Stines was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, to which he pleaded not guilty on Sept. 25. Following his arrest, Stines resigned as sheriff and is currently held at Leslie County Jail.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that Stines and Mullins had lunch together before the shooting. Stamper mentioned that Stines tried to contact his daughter and Mullins before the incident. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities analyzing the cellphones of both individuals.
Stamper also revealed that Stines allegedly mentioned concerns about his wife and child being kidnapped when taken into custody. The shooting took place in the same judge's chambers where a lawsuit was filed by a woman accusing a deputy of sexual assault. The lawsuit implicates Stines for failing to supervise the deputy adequately.
Stines' defense attorney, Jeremy Bartley, stated that the shooting was not premeditated and occurred in the heat of passion. Bartley suggested that Stines may have acted under extreme emotional disturbance, potentially leading to a charge of manslaughter.
The tragic event has deeply affected the community of Whitesburg, Kentucky, where Stines previously served as a bailiff in Mullins' court. Garnard Kincer Jr., a friend of Mullins, expressed shock over the incident, stating that the community is struggling to come to terms with what transpired.
