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The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Defense lawyer seeks $50,000 bond for ex-sheriff charged in Kentucky judge's killing
Nearly a year since a Kentucky judge was gunned down in his courthouse chambers, the issue of whether bond is justified for the former sheriff charged in the killing remains unsettled as he awaits trial. A defense attorney on Friday recommended a $50,000 cash or property bond for former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines, saying he is not a flight risk and poses no danger to himself or the community. A prosecutor responded that Stines is not entitled to a bond, citing a section of Kentucky's constitution that says the right to bail doesn't apply to people charged with a capital offense. Stines has been jailed since last September, when District Judge Kevin Mullins was fatally shot at the courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Mullins died at the scene, and Stines, who was sheriff at the time, surrendered without incident. Stines has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder of a public official. On Friday, the judge hearing the case did not rule immediately on whether bond should be set. Both sides were given until Sept. 2 to submit further written arguments on a handful of pending pretrial matters. Circuit Judge Christopher Cohron, serving as special judge in the case, said he would try to expedite his ruling, and said he could start looking at setting a trial date once those initial matters are resolved. Authorities haven't yet revealed a possible motive for the Sept. 19 shooting that stunned residents of Whitesburg, a tight-knit Appalachian community about 100 miles (146 kilometers) southeast of Lexington, Kentucky, near the Virginia border. Stines resigned days after the shooting and is being held in an eastern Kentucky jail without bond. At the hearing Friday in Whitesburg, defense attorney Kerri Bartley said the former sheriff would be 'the lowest possible risk level" if he is released on bond pending trial. 'I just don't think there's anything to show that he's a flight risk," she said. "There's nothing to convince the court that he would be a danger to himself or others.' Stines has deep roots in the community and considerable family support, Bartley said. 'He has a wife and daughter that he can still go home to today,' she said. In his response, special prosecutor Jackie Steele said: 'What he did in the community ... is irrelevant. The only thing that's relevant is, in fact, the charges themself.' The prosecutor pointed to a section of the state constitution that says: 'All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient securities, unless for capital offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great.' At a prior court hearing, a harrowing video showing the judge being gunned down was revealed. The video, with no audio, showed a man identified by police as Stines pulling out a gun and shooting at the judge, who was seated at his desk. The man walked around the desk, pointed the gun at the judge — who ducked behind the desk for cover — and fired again, it showed. Stines could potentially face the death penalty for the murder charge, but prosecutors haven't yet filed notice with the court on whether they will seek the death penalty. Stines and Mullins had known each other for years. On the day of the shooting, they met for lunch with several other people, a Kentucky State Police detective said at a prior hearing. During the lunch, the judge apparently asked Stines if they needed to meet privately, but the reason for the meeting was unclear. Defense lawyers also have pending motions to unseal the ex-sheriff's psychological evaluation and to dismiss the indictment. The judge will decide whether a hearing is needed to settle the motions.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Associated Press
Defense lawyer seeks $50,000 bond for ex-lawmaker charged in Kentucky judge's slaying
Nearly a year since a Kentucky judge was gunned down in his courthouse chambers, the issue of whether bond is justified for the former sheriff charged in the slaying remains unsettled as he awaits trial. A defense attorney on Friday recommended a $50,000 cash or property bond for former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines, saying he is not a flight risk and poses no danger to himself or the community. A prosecutor responded that Stines is not entitled to a bond, citing a section of Kentucky's constitution that says the right to bail doesn't apply to people charged with a capital offense. Stines has been jailed since last September, when District Judge Kevin Mullins was fatally shot at the courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Mullins died at the scene, and Stines, who was sheriff at the time, surrendered without incident. Stines has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder of a public official. On Friday, the judge hearing the case did not rule immediately on whether bond should be set. Both sides were given until Sept. 2 to submit further written arguments on a handful of pending pretrial matters. Circuit Judge Christopher Cohron, serving as special judge in the case, said he would try to expedite his ruling, and said he could start looking at setting a trial date once those initial matters are resolved. Authorities haven't yet revealed a possible motive for the Sept. 19 shooting that stunned residents of Whitesburg, a tight-knit Appalachian community about 100 miles (146 kilometers) southeast of Lexington, Kentucky, near the Virginia border. Stines resigned days after the shooting and is being held in an eastern Kentucky jail without bond. At the hearing Friday in Whitesburg, defense attorney Kerri Bartley said the former sheriff would be 'the lowest possible risk level' if he is released on bond pending trial. 'I just don't think there's anything to show that he's a flight risk,' she said. 'There's nothing to convince the court that he would be a danger to himself or others.' Stines has deep roots in the community and considerable family support, Bartley said. 'He has a wife and daughter that he can still go home to today,' she said. In his response, special prosecutor Jackie Steele said: 'What he did in the community ... is irrelevant. The only thing that's relevant is, in fact, the charges themself.' The prosecutor pointed to a section of the state constitution that says: 'All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient securities, unless for capital offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great.' At a prior court hearing, a harrowing video showing the judge being gunned down was revealed. The video, with no audio, showed a man identified by police as Stines pulling out a gun and shooting at the judge, who was seated at his desk. The man walked around the desk, pointed the gun at the judge — who ducked behind the desk for cover — and fired again, it showed. Stines could potentially face the death penalty for the murder charge, but prosecutors haven't yet filed notice with the court on whether they will seek the death penalty. Stines and Mullins had known each other for years. On the day of the shooting, they met for lunch with several other people, a Kentucky State Police detective said at a prior hearing. During the lunch, the judge apparently asked Stines if they needed to meet privately, but the reason for the meeting was unclear. Defense lawyers also have pending motions to unseal his psychological evaluation and to dismiss the indictment. The judge will decide whether a hearing is needed to settle the motions.
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Explosive new video shows what happened in moments before Kentucky sheriff shot judge best friend
Extended surveillance footage shows the chilling minutes before a Kentucky sheriff shot his good friend and local judge in his own chambers. Former Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines is accused of shooting and killing Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins in September 2024. The alleged murder came after the two men had a long interaction in Mullins' chamber inside the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg. Recently released footage of the interaction shows a group of people - two women and two men - gathering around Mullins's desk on September 19, 2024. At 2:39pm, Stines is seen entering the room with another man and appears to ask everyone except Mullins to leave. The two men, who had just been out for lunch together, are then shown sitting down opposite each other. At two points, Stines stands up to open the chamber door and peer outside into the hallway. After chatting for a few minutes, Stines pulls out his cell phone and appears to call someone. Minutes later, he does the same thing again. It is unclear who he was calling. The former sheriff then appears to ask Mullins to hand over his phone. After the judge complies, Stines holds both of the phones and tries to make another call, this time on the judge's phone. The footage then shows Stines stand up and lift his shirt to reveal a gun holstered on his hip, causing the judge to take notice and raise his hands in the air. At 2:51pm, Stines is seen pointing the gun at Mullins and eventually firing at him as the judge tries to cover. Stine then leaves the room before returning briefly. He turned himself into the police at around 3pm. Kentucky State Police arrested the sheriff minutes later and their attempts to interview him in the courthouse hallway were filmed on bodycam. However, their attempts were unsuccessful as they spent the entire time trying to assure a very paranoid Stines that they weren't going to kill him. The latest footage from inside the chamber helps paint a clearer picture of what led up to last year's shocking shooting, which rocked the small town. Stines and Mullins both played important roles in the community and were close friends who frequently ate lunch together. The men's closeness is evident in the footage. While Stines appears confrontational, Mullins seems to be comfortable in the former sheriff's presence, up until the weapon is revealed. The surveillance was released without audio, but body language expert Susan Constantine told Fox News that it was clear the sheriff 'was ready to go the minute he walked in.' By contrast, Mullins 'is very nonchalant, very carefree', she said, as he sat smoking a cigarette and did not appear to understand the imminent danger he was in. 'The sheriff then leans in, he's obviously got something on his mind because he's in an action stance,' Constantine said. 'I think the fact that [Mullins] is shrugging it off, I think that created more angst towards the judge because he wasn't taking it seriously, whatever was being spoken about, and he's kind of playing it off like it wasn't a big deal... And the more he played it out, 'this is not a big deal,' the more angry Stines became.' The former sheriff had previously indicated he was preparing an insanity defense in court, and his attorneys said the shooting was the result of 'fear for the safety of his wife and daughter.' Police have not offered details of a motive behind the shooting, though Stines' attorneys said it came after testimony he gave at a deposition where he answered questions about one of his deputies allegedly sexually assaulting jail inmates in Mullins' chambers.
Fox News
06-06-2025
- Fox News
Ex-sheriff accused of shooting judge in chambers says state skirted law, should toss murder case: report
The attorneys representing the former Letcher County, Kentucky sheriff who stands accused of murdering the county's judge in his chambers have filed a new motion to have their client's indictment dismissed, according to a report. Former sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines' lawyers say the state failed to record a November 2024 meeting between state prosecutors and the Letcher County grand jury that eventually indicted Stines, according to a court filing obtained by KAVE. The filing says the grand jury was "deprived of information known to the Commonwealth [of Kentucky], sought in question by grand jurors, but not disclosed." Stines allegedly shot District Judge Kevin Mullins in Mullins' own chambers in the Letcher County Courthouse on Sept. 19, 2024. The incident, which rocked the tiny rural town, was caught on a surveillance camera. Both Stines and Mullins were well-known pillars of the community for decades. Specifically, the motion filed by attorney duo Jeremy and Kerri Bartley says the grand jury was denied information about an ongoing civil lawsuit, in which Stines is named as a defendant, that could provide context for the shooting. The lawyers also claim that testimony before the grand jury from Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper, the lead investigator in the case, was unfairly prejudicial. Stines' attorneys claim that allegations of sexual abuse plagued the Letcher County Courthouse. Just three days before the shooting, Stines was deposed in a civil case against his former deputy, Ben Fields, who is currently serving prison time for raping a woman inside the courthouse in exchange for removing her ankle monitor while she was on home confinement during criminal proceedings. Jeremy Bartley told Fox News Digital that the sheriff had threatened to keep his mouth shut in the civil case, and that he feared for the safety of his wife and daughter. "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." "I think one of the big things is that my client felt there had been pressure placed on him not to say too much during the deposition, and not to talk about things that happened within the courthouse, particularly in the judge's chambers," Bartley said. Body camera footage from the immediate aftermath of the shooting shows a paranoid Stines afraid for his life while being questioned by police. "Come on, be fair to me now," Stines can be heard saying to Stamper. "I seen the look… Y'all come on now, don't kill me. Don't punish me, you know. Let's be fair. Don't shoot me, nothing like that." "Y'all are gonna kill me, aren't you?" he asked. "Y'all are gonna kill me, I know you are. Let's just get it over with. Let's just go." Bartley is planning an insanity defense. Experts have denounced that defense as "frivolous." Fox News Digital reached out to Bartley and prosecutor Jackie Steele for comment.
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Kentucky sheriff who shot best friend judge presents Hail Mary defense that could tip the case
A former Kentucky sheriff accused of murdering a local judge has tried a hail Mary defense in the hope of having his case dismissed. Shawn 'Mickey' Stines filed to have his indictment for killing Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins in September 2024 thrown out, accusing the prosecution of misconduct. Attorneys for the ex-top cop alleged in new court documents on Wednesday prosecutors had an undocumented meeting with the grand jury before it indicted him. The filing further alleges the grand jury requested records about the case that the prosecution did not provide, arguing these two incidents may have biased the jury. Despite prosecutors presenting footage alleging to show Stines shooting Mullins in his court chambers, Stines' attorneys argue the alleged misconduct should dismiss the case entirely. They are requesting a hearing to prove the grand jury bias, and are asking for the judge to throw out the indictment 'with prejudice', meaning Stines couldn't be tried again, per WHAS11. The former sheriff had previously indicated he was preparing an insanity defense in court, and his attorneys said the shooting was the result of 'fear for the safety of his wife and daughter.' Police have not offered details of a motive behind the shooting, however Stines' attorneys said it came after testimony that Stines gave at a deposition where he answered questions about one of his deputies allegedly sexually assaulting jail inmates in Mullins' chambers. In March, before the alleged prosecution misconduct emerged, Stines' defense team said his state of mind at the time of the shooting would become key to his upcoming trial. Defense attorney Jeremy Bartley previously told NewsNation that he was preparing to argue extreme emotional distress led Stines to carry out the shooting, and indicated it was related to the sheriff's deposition that came days before. An accuser in that case claimed that she was forced by former Deputy Sheriff Ben Fields to have sex in Mullins' chambers for six months in exchange for staying out of jail. Accuser Sabrina Adkins previously told NewsNation in a separate interview that Mullins 'does have some videotapes of some stuff in the judge's chambers… just with girls, sexual and stuff.' Fields was fired by Stines before being ultimately arrested and sentenced to six months of jail, with Stines testifying in his case. Bartley said Stines feared that backlash from his deposition testimony caused him to fear that his or his family's lives were in danger. The attorney said Stines' 'mental health' was affected by the perceived threat, adding: 'Ultimately, he was in fear for the safety of his wife and his daughter, and I think what you see there is the result of that.' The shooting rocked the small town of Whitesburg where Stines and Mullins were well known figures, with allegations since coming out that Judge Mullins himself may have been tied to the sex-for-favors scandal. When Stines was taken into custody for the shooting, he allegedly exclaimed: 'They're trying to kidnap my wife and kid.' Bartley added at the time of his insanity defense filing that he believes there may be 'more evidence that would support a finding that he wasn't criminally responsible', but did not offer specifics. Stines has remained in custody since the shooting, which was captured on shocking footage that showed the sheriff enter Mullins' chambers and blast eight bullets into him. In the moments before, officials said that Stines tried to call his daughter before grabbing Mullins' phone and also trying to call her. Prosecutors said the shooting came seemingly out of the blue, as the sheriff and judge had enjoyed lunch together that afternoon, and shared an outside table at the popular Streetside Grill & Bar on Main Street for lunch, only a few hundred yards from the courthouse. The pair were longtime friends and lunchtime regulars together at the sports bar and on that fateful Thursday ordered their usual – both having the $13.99 wings with salad. Detectives are probing a potential motive, with one theory reportedly investigated by detectives being whether Stines discovered his daughter's phone number in Mullins' phone because he called her moments before the shooting. Video of the shooting shows Stines pointing his weapon at Mullins as his hands are raised cowering behind his desk - but the sheriff's lawyers insist the killing was not planned. 'It was not something that was planned and occurred in the heat of passion. For us, the highest level of culpability should be manslaughter based on the partial defense of extreme emotional disturbance,' Bartley previously told PEOPLE. It is not clear when Stines' murder trial may get underway, with prosecutors previously saying the discovery process could take 'some time.'
