Letcher County sheriff pleads not guilty in fatal shooting of judge at KY courthouse
An Eastern Kentucky sheriff charged with killing a local judge pleaded not guilty to murder Wednesday morning at his first court proceeding.
Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines appeared virtually in a Carter County courtroom, which is about 2 1/2 hours from Letcher County.
Stines is charged with killing District Judge Kevin Mullins in Mullins’ office in the county courthouse on Sept. 19. If convicted, Stines could serve from 20 years to life. The death penalty may also be a possibility because the killing involves the death of a public official, though Kentucky has had a ban on executions for almost 15 years.
When asked about the potential that prosecutors would pursue the death penalty in the case, special prosecutor Jackie Steele said, “Any decisions regarding the death penalty will be done at a later date when all the evidence has been processed and the case has had a thorough evaluation.”
Police said there was a short “personal” argument between the two before Stines, 43, allegedly shot Mullins, 54, multiple times.
At Wednesday’s court hearing, Stines had yet to have a defense attorney appointed to the case, but he was represented by Josh Miller, the directing attorney for the capital trial branch at the Department of Public Advocacy.
Stines acknowledged he has not hired private counsel or discussed the case with an attorney. Carter County District Judge Rupert Willhoit III said Stines likely would need to hire one if his case proceeds to circuit court because he is not considered indigent at this point.
Stines remains the Letcher County sheriff.
Motive for the shooting is still unclear. Police have not released details about the argument, but Stines gave testimony in a “tense” deposition days before in a case in which he was accused of not properly supervising a deputy who coerced a woman to have sex with him in the judge’s office.
Stines surrendered to law enforcement immediately after the shooting.
The case has received numerous special appointments including a Carter County District Judge Rupert Willhoit III as presiding judge and Steele, the commonwealth’s attorney for Laurel and Knox counties, as special prosecutor.
Ramsey Dallam, deputy director of the Special Prosecutions Unit in the office of Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, also is involved in the prosecution and took part in Wednesday’s arraignment.
Stines’ not guilty plea was expected ahead of his Wednesday appearance, as felony defendants are not able to plead guilty at their first appearance in district court because district judges don’t have the jurisdiction to accept a guilty plea for a felony.
Stines is scheduled to reappear for his preliminary hearing Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.
This story was originally published September 25, 2024 at 11:21 AM.
