Kentucky courthouse where sheriff allegedly killed judge plagued by sex abuse allegations: lawsuit
Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account - free of charge. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News' Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Please enter a valid email address. Having trouble? Click here.
In September 2024, authorities said former Letcher County, Kentucky Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines unexpectedly shot District Judge Kevin Mullins, who he had known for decades, in Mullins' chambers.
The shooting, which was caught on surveillance footage, rocked the small eastern Kentucky town of Whitesburg and has subsequently captivated the true crime world.
The events that led to the shooting, according to Stines' attorney, began years earlier with a civil lawsuit against a former Letcher County Sheriff's deputy for allegedly raping a female defendant who was out on bond.
That lawsuit also named Stines as a defendant.
MOTIVE REVEALED IN KENTUCKY SHERIFF'S ALLEGED KILLING OF JUDGE AS BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT ANALYZES NEW VIDEO
The following is a full timeline of events that provide context for the shooting: Jan. 31, 2022: Woman files civil sexual abuse suit
A woman named Sabrina Adkins filed a civil lawsuit against former Letcher County Sheriff's Deputy Ben Fields, claiming that he had exploited her for sexual favors when she was on home incarceration.
According to the suit, Adkins was struggling to find housing and to pay for her GPS ankle monitor when Fields told her he was sure they could "work something out." She alleged that Fields coerced her into sexual activity six times inside Mullins' chambers in return for taking off her ankle monitor while she was on home incarceration, and dropped the fee associated with the ankle monitor.
When she stopped providing the sexual favors, she was arrested, according to the lawsuit.
Stines, who was Fields' supervisor, was named as a defendant in that lawsuit, which claimed that he failed to adequately train and supervise Fields.
Her attorney in the civil suit, which is ongoing, is Ned Pillersdorf. He said that on one occasion, Fields directed Adkins to provide sexual favors to a third party, and that there were other women who Fields similarly abused.
"Just my general concern as a criminal defense lawyer … they were running a brothel out of that courthouse," Pillersdorf told Fox News Digital. "I mean, the pimping – at least three women we know of, though I think it's higher."
"[Fields] pimped Adkins out to this other guy," he said. "He pimped her out to some connection Fields had, this guy."
"If you're a woman caught up in an ankle bracelet or a drug court, you know, a simple phone call to the judge, you might be in jail," he said. "So they're so easy to extort, these women think they won't be believed."
After the allegations were made, a camera was mounted on the wall of Mullins' chambers. Sept. 29, 2022: Former Letcher County Sheriff's deputy indicted
Months after the civil suit was filed, Fields was indicted on two counts of third-degree rape, two counts of third-degree sodomy, three counts of tampering with a prisoner monitoring device and one count of second-degree perjury in relation to the Adkins case.
Adkins said in a deposition with Investigator Matthew Easter in the criminal case that sex in exchange for favorable treatment in the criminal justice system in Letcher County was common, and that many other women had faced the same exploitation.
SIGN UP TO GET THE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER Jan. 4, 2024: Fields is sentenced to prison in the rape case
Fields pleaded guilty to all charges in his criminal case, and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Sept. 16, 2024: Stines is deposed in Adkins' civil lawsuit
Months after Fields had reported to jail, Stines was deposed in Adkins' civil suit.
According to Stines' attorney, Jeremy Bartley, in the several days before the deposition, Stines had become extremely paranoid, sleepless, and worried about the safety of his family.
"This civil suit had drawn a lot of attention to things that were happening in the courthouse," Bartley said. "And in fact, if you look at it, it was because of this lawsuit – the reason that there had been a camera placed in the judge's chambers, which is highly unusual, highly unusual to have such concern that the administrative office of courts puts a security camera in a judge's chambers."
Alleged threats against his family drove Stines over the edge, Bartley said.
KENTUCKY SHERIFF SEEN IN FOOTAGE SHOOTING AT JUDGE IN SHOCKING PRELIMINARY HEARING
"On the day that this [shooting] happened, my client had attempted multiple times to contact his wife and daughter, and he firmly believed that they were in danger," Bartley said.
"He believed that they were in danger because of what he knew to have happened within the courthouse. And there was pressure, and there were threats made to him to sort of keep him in line, to keep them from saying more than these folks wanted him to say." Sept. 19, 2024, midday: Stines, Mullins and friends have lunch
In the middle of the day, Stines and Mullins, along with coworkers from the courthouse, ate lunch together at StreetSide Bar & Grill, which was within walking distance of the courthouse.
According to video obtained by Fox News Digital, people who were in the courthouse when the shots rang out were interviewed by the Kentucky State Police just after the shooting, and described Stines as acting oddly before and during lunch.
"This morning, Mickey came over [to the courthouse] … he just seemed a little off," said one witness. "But he was just like, walking back and forth, all around."
"He was acting strange at lunch," another witness said, noting that part of the lunch conversation was about Stines' potential reelection as sheriff.
"I don't know if this matters, but I'm going to tell you anyways because it's odd to me," the witness told a detective. "He leaned back in his chair at lunch, and they were talking about reelection. He said, 'Oh I'll never make it to the next election.'" Sept. 19, 2024, afternoon: Stines and friend deliver food
In the hours just before the shooting, Stines and his friend Michael Clark, who works for a drug rehabilitation company that partners with the county, took a drive to deliver food to a handicapped person who could not leave the house, according to Bartley.
"In the period of time after my client left lunch with the folks from the courthouse, he and another person by the name of Michael Clark went to purchase materials," Bartley said. "They went out and picked up lunch and other food stuff for a food box that they were delivering to a person who was sick or had some limitations that they weren't able to get the food that they needed. And so they left. They went shopping for those items."
He explained that this was routine for Stines, and that normally, the person to whom Stines delivered the food was home when he arrived. That day, he wasn't, which fueled more paranoia.
"When they went to deliver these items … the family of the gentleman indicated that he was at another location," he said. "This caused a lot of concern from my client. So they dropped the food box with the family, and then they left and went back to the courthouse."
Clark spoke with Fox News Digital earlier this week about the delivery incident.
"He was paranoid all day," Clark said.
"So we went to a place to deliver the food, and it was at a different house or a different location than he thought [it] should have been," Clark said. "I didn't even really know where we were going. I just went with him because, you know, we participated in that and helped with it. And, you know, just kind of, I guess it might have made it worse. I don't know, whatever he was struggling with that day." Sept. 19, 2024, later afternoon: Mullins shot in chambers
FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X
In the surveillance video taken from Mullins' chambers, a group of people could be seen cordially chatting with the judge for more than 12 minutes before Stines walked into the office and asked everyone to leave.
In the next seven minutes, Stines and Mullins talked privately before Stines stood up and seemingly locked the door of the chambers.
Mullins then handed his phone over to Stines.
After looking through the judge's phone, Stines placed a call to his daughter from the judge's phone that went unanswered before tossing the phone back onto the judge's desk. Stines can be seen in the video typing in his daughter's number while he looks at his own phone for reference of the number. Stines' daughter did not appear to be saved in Mullins' contacts.
He then allegedly stood up, unholstered his pistol, and moved menacingly toward Mullins before opening fire at point-blank range, killing the judge. Sept. 19, 2024, night: Kentucky State Police hold news conference
After conducting witness interviews at the scene, the Kentucky State Police held a news conference describing the events of the day.
"Preliminary investigation indicated that Sheriff Mickey Shawn Stines fired at District Court Judge Kevin Mullins following an argument inside the courthouse," a trooper told reporters.
GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB
He added that Stines was taken into custody without incident, and was cooperative with law enforcement, which is corroborated by video obtained by Fox News Digital. Nov. 21, 2024: Grand jury indicts Stines
NEW VIDEO SHOWS KENTUCKY SHERIFF POINTING GUN AT JUDGE BEFORE ALLEGED FATAL SHOOTING
In November, a grand jury indicted Stines. The one-sentence indictment charges Stines with murder.
"On or about the 19th of September, 2024, in Letcher County, Kentucky, the above named defendant committed the offense of murder when he unlawfully shot Letcher County District Court Judge Kevin Mullins, thereby causing his death; against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Kentucky," according to the indictment. Since the indictment:
Since Stines was indicted, Bartley, his defense attorney, has made several motions on his behalf.
Most notably, Bartley filed a motion telling the court he is planning an insanity defense, and that he "intends to present a defense of insanity, as well as a defense of extreme emotional disturbance."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The filing says that he also "intends to present expert evidence relating to a mental disease or defect or mental condition bearing on the issue of guilt and punishment."
Prosecuting attorney Jackie Steele did not return a comment request.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
15 minutes ago
- CBS News
Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland?
Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland? Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland? Why are car insurance rates up in Maryland? One thing everyone is noticing these days is rising costs, and that includes your car insurance. Viewers have asked WJZ why their auto insurance rates are increasing in Maryland. WJZ Anchor Rick Ritter tracked down the answer for this segment of Question Everything. Why is car insurance so expensive? Rick Ritter sat down with Marie Grant, who is Maryland's insurance commissioner. Marie Grant: "Typically in urban environments, we do see higher rates of auto insurance based on experience on what happens to a car in a city. Grant: "What we're seeing here in Maryland and what consumers are feeling are, unfortunately, national trends that consumers in other states are feeling, as well." Data released this year from Insurify shows car insurance costs surged nationally by 15% in 2024. Maryland drivers pay the most for car insurance, according to the website. On average, Marylanders are paying more than $4,000 a year, which is a 53% increase from 2023. Grant: "Maryland, historically, has been in the top quarter of states for auto insurance rates, and that's due in part to the nature of our state." "We tend to drive a lot, with longer commuting distances and a lot of congestion on roads. With pretty heavy traffic and accident rates higher than other states, it all contributes." While congestion and traffic-related incidents play a role, high repair costs are also to blame. AAA A found that today's advanced technology in cars can cost twice as much to repair, and now the threat of tariffs could complicate things even more. Grant: "During the pandemic, costs went down, folks weren't driving as much, and there weren't as many accidents. As Marylanders got back on the road, as well as inflation, the cost of cars then increased." Rick Ritter: "With so much talk about the escalating trade war and the president's tariffs, will it help contribute to rising car insurance rates?" Grant: "Unfortunately, the answer is yes. We haven't seen evidence of that with current rate filings, but if you asked me a month ago without tariffs on the horizon, I would've said trends are looking positive." Climate and crime can be contributing factors to higher costs of insurance, as well. Maryland has seen stolen vehicle claims surge over the last few years, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. If you live in an area with more frequent severe weather, like flooding or wildfires, it can impact your premiums, too. What can Marylanders do to save? Grant says to shop around for several insurers. Most think two or three, but five to 10 is what's recommended. Search for discounts, like safety features or bundling policies, which can help keep costs down. Consider a telematics program that monitors how safe you're driving. Then can bring down rates for you, as well. When in doubt, the insurance commissioner's office lines are always open. The office receives dozens of calls daily from Marylanders inquiring about their rates. "I love hearing from Marylanders. Consumers should definitely reach out to us," Grant said. "Fresh eyes never hurt, so we do want to make sure we are asking tough questions of our insurers to make sure they are putting their best foot forward, and that's what we do." Car insurance adds to a budget From the escalating trade war to inflation, it feels like the cost of everything is going up these days. "It's horrible, from car insurance to groceries," a Baltimore resident said. "Everything feels so expensive," said Yaniv Ezra, an Uber driver and student in the city. "I'm a DoorDash and Uber Eats driver, and you can see that barely anyone is buying anything." The rising prices for utilities, food, and gas, mixed in with skyrocketing car insurance, make things tough. "It's very high," Ezra said. "I'm paying $200 a month now just because I moved to the city."
CBS News
15 minutes ago
- CBS News
Police seek 4 teens in shooting that wounded bystander near Wrigley Field
Chicago Police have issued a community alert asking for help in finding four teens wanted in a shooting that wounded a bystander right across from Wrigley Field last month. Police said a 26-year-old man was shot in the arm around 7 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at Sheffield and Waveland avenues, across from the northeast corner of the ballpark and near the famous Murphy's Bleachers bar. Witnesses described a group of teens getting into a quarrel next to Murphy's Bleachers before the shooting. Police have identified four boys believed to be between the ages of 15 and 17, all of whom they say were involved in discharging the gun. Police released surveillance video of the teenage boys on an 'L' train. Chicago Police Chicago police took a person of interest in custody right after the shooting, but that person was released without charges the following day. Anyone with information about the boys being sought in the shooting is asked to call Belmont Area detectives at 312-744-8261, or submit an anonymous tip to and use reference #JJ-256188.
CBS News
19 minutes ago
- CBS News
San Francisco Marina District close to having new transitional-housing facility
A recovery housing facility proposed in San Francisco's Marina District is closer to moving one step closer to final approval. It's a part of the mayor's plans to open hundreds of new beds for homeless people struggling with addiction. Steve Adami spent two decades in and out of prison, struggling to escape a vicious cycle of drug addiction and crime. Looking at a California Corrections picture of himself, he reflected on how far he has come in his journey. "It's someone I don't recognize anymore. It was definitely somebody who needed a lot of help and support to get his life together, and that's what I got," said Adami. Tackling San Francisco's drug and homelessness crisis is now Adami's mission as executive director of The Salvation Army's The Way Out program. "Areas of the city have been overrun by public drug use, open-air drug markets and crime. I don't want that model in my neighborhood either. But that's not the model we're proposing at the Marina Inn," said Adami. The recovery housing facility, providing 68 beds at Octavia and Lombard Street in the Marina District, will be operated by The Salvation Army in partnership with the city's Department of Public Health. It's an abstinence-based, two-year transitional housing program for people who have already completed long-term drug treatment "This model program has not been the type of program San Francisco has used in the past," said Adami. Everyone is required to work, save money and get drug tested. "Sadly, many of the residents of this faculty will relapse. Statistics just show that's the case. When they do, they're now in our neighborhood," said San Francisco resident Maurice Fitzgerald, who lives in the Marina District. While many residents believe drug-free transitional housing can help clean up city streets and even help nearby businesses, others like Fitzgerald say they're concerned about relapses and participants who have criminal backgrounds. "We have concerns this will increase car break-ins and that desperate drug addicts will do whatever they need to do to find money to get their fix," said Fitzgerald. Adami and other city officials said sex offenders, arsonists, and people who have committed crimes against children won't be allowed. Garrett Collard is a resident at a similar recovery housing program. He said he would be back on the streets if it weren't for the Salvation Army's pilot program. "You're just right back where you started. You go six months and are clean, but if you have nowhere else to go or stay in another program or go to a sober living environment, you're back on the streets," said Collard. Adami points to participants like Collard and to recovering addicts like himself as reasons to support the city's Break the Cycle initiative, aiming to add hundreds of new treatment and recovery beds across the city. "The current administration and the Department of Public Health and Department of Homelessness are implementing new abstinence-based strategies because they're proven to be effective," said Adami. It's programs like this that are giving Adami hope others can follow in his footsteps too. The city has announced plans to open nearly 300 treatment and interim housing beds at five sites across the city by the end of summer. It's part of the mayor's Break the Cycle initiative to add 1,500 beds citywide for homeless people and those struggling with mental illness and addiction.
