On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Louisville Courier Journal reported that the murder case against former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines is advancing as it awaits grand jury proceedings. Stines is charged with the fatal shooting of District Judge Kevin Mullins, an incident that took place within the judge’s private chambers on September 19, 2024.
The shooting incident unfolded shortly before 3 p.m. on that day when Kentucky State Police were alerted to reports of gunfire at the Letcher County Courthouse. Upon arrival, authorities pronounced Judge Mullins dead at the scene. Stines, who was at the location, surrendered to law enforcement without incident and was subsequently arrested. He was booked into the Leslie County Detention Center, approximately an hour’s drive from the courthouse.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Letcher County courts were forced to cease operations due to the incident. An emergency order was invoked, suspending all court activities until further notice, though operations have since resumed.
One week later, on September 25, Stines participated in a virtual arraignment from jail, where he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Initially represented by public defender Josh Miller, Stines later opted to hire private attorney Jeremy A. Bartley. The prosecution is being led by Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele, who took over after local Commonwealth’s Attorney Matt Butler recused himself due to familial ties to Judge Mullins.
On September 30, Stines announced his resignation from the sheriff’s position, which he had held since 2018. His resignation came amid pressure from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who had requested Stines to step down in a letter, indicating that failure to resign could lead to removal under state law due to neglect.
The case took a dramatic turn during a court appearance on October 1, when a video of the shooting was shown. The footage depicted Stines firing multiple shots at Mullins, who was attempting to take cover behind his desk. Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper, the lead investigator, provided testimony regarding the events leading up to the shooting, including a lunch meeting the two men had earlier that day.
Witnesses reported that during lunch, Mullins inquired whether they needed to meet privately, but the context of this request remains unclear. Following their lunch, video evidence confirmed that Stines and Mullins were together in the judge’s chambers. Detective Stamper testified that Stines made several phone calls after the lunch, including calls to his daughter, prior to the shooting. The investigation is ongoing, with forensic teams analyzing the phones involved, although Stines’ daughter’s phone had not yet been examined by that time.
As the case transitions to the grand jury, Stines’ legal team appears to be preparing a defense that may argue for a charge of manslaughter rather than murder. Attorney Bartley has indicated that the shooting could be characterized as occurring “in the heat of passion,” suggesting that a defense of extreme emotional disturbance may be pursued.
Source: Louisville Courier Journal
