A former sheriff in Kentucky has been indicted for the murder of a judge who was killed in his courthouse chambers two months ago, leaving the small Appalachian community in shock. Shawn “Mickey” Stines was indicted on one count of murder of a public official by a Letcher County grand jury, according to prosecutors. The incident occurred when Stines, who was the sheriff of the county, entered District Judge Kevin Mullins’ chambers in Whitesburg, had a conversation with the judge, and then opened fire on September 19. Mullins, who had been a judge for 15 years, tragically passed away at the scene, and Stines surrendered peacefully. Stines pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and has been in custody in another county jail.
After the shooting, Stines resigned as sheriff, and Billy Jones took over the position. Jones, a former resource officer at a local high school, was sworn in as the new sheriff on October 1. The motive behind the shooting involving these two prominent figures from the county near Virginia remains unclear. Whitesburg, where the incident took place, is located about 146 miles southeast of Lexington, Kentucky.
During a court hearing last month, a video showing the judge being shot was played. The footage, which had no audio, depicted Stines pulling out a gun and shooting the judge while he was seated at his desk. Stines then walked around the desk, aimed the gun at the fallen judge, and fired again. The courtroom was filled with emotion as some spectators cried while watching the video. The Kentucky State Police detective revealed that Mullins succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.
The detective also mentioned that Stines attempted to contact his daughter using Mullins’ phone and his own phone just before the shooting took place. No weapon was found on Mullins or in his chambers by investigators. It was disclosed during the hearing that on the day of the shooting, Mullins and Stines had lunch with a group of people at a restaurant near the courthouse.
Stines’ defense team expressed that they left the hearing with more questions than answers and disclosed that they were conducting their own investigation in parallel to the official proceedings. The murder charge against Stines could potentially result in the death penalty. The prosecutors and Stines’ attorneys did not provide any further comments following the indictment by the grand jury.
The community is still grappling with the aftermath of this tragic event, and the legal proceedings are ongoing. The impact of this incident on the local area and the families involved is profound, and the search for answers continues as the case unfolds.
