The Kentucky sheriff suspected of fatally shooting a judge in his chambers last week may face the capital penalty if convicted, according to a particular judge appointed to hear the case.
Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Stines, 43, made his first court appearance on Wednesday, pleading not guilty to first-degree murder charges. Stines reportedly assassinated Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, in his chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse on Thursday, according to officials. According to Kentucky State Police, the shooting occurred “following an argument inside the courthouse,” and detectives are still looking for the motivation.
Letcher County Circuit Clerk Mike Watts told Lexington ABC station WTVQ on Saturday that the two had lunch together on the day of the shooting. Stines did not appear to be moved during the brief hearing on Wednesday when he appeared via Zoom in a jail uniform with his public counsel, who entered a not-guilty plea on Stines’ behalf. He is due back in court on October 1. Mullins was discovered with numerous gunshot wounds after a 911 caller reported shots being fired inside the courthouse, and Stines was taken into custody without incident, according to authorities.
Officials have not yet established whether Stines used his “duty” weapon during the shooting. On Monday, just days before the shooting, Stines was deposed in a lawsuit alleging that he failed to investigate one of his deputies who sexually abused a lady in Mullins’ chambers. Whitesburg Mayor Tiffany Craft told WTVQ on Friday that the tragedy had “rocked to its core” the city.
“You’d never think that anything like this would happen in your small town,” she added, noting Mullins and Stines were regarded as “two great pillars of the community,” Watts informed the station that he had known both guys for decades. “Both men were my friends and family, and I saw them frequently while we were at employment,” Watts told me.
