43-year-old former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines stands accused of shooting to death District Judge Kevin Mullins during a September 19, 2024 office incident. The recorded surveillance footage indicates Stines walked into Mullins' office where he fired weapon shots while the judge shielded behind his desk.
Through court documents Jeremy Bartley explained to the judge Stines's mental instability during the event of his criminal act. The defense strategy includes two elements: extreme emotional disturbance which represents a sudden outburst of passion rather than premeditation.
There appears to be no determined motive but available information reveals that Stines who befriended Mullins twenty years ago ate lunch with him the same day of the killing. Testimonies indicate that Stines used Mullins' phone to try calling his daughter which raised suspicions about emotional tension between these two individuals during their lunchtime meeting.
The trial of Stines proceeded with his denial of guilt in November 2024 and he remains in jail without access to bail. Judicial authorities will determine if they will seek capital punishment against Stines.
Both the accused and the victim in this case have raised considerable interest because they are well-known members of Letcher County. Legal proceedings will examine the sanity defense claim before deciding on the appropriate response and determination.