Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines appeared in court on Tuesday, as disturbing details and video footage of the killing of District Court Judge Kevin Mullins were revealed. The hearing, which drew an emotional response from attendees, provided the first glimpse into the possible motive behind the tragic shooting that occurred inside the Letcher County courthouse on September 19.
The brief video shown during the hearing captured the chilling moment when Stines, identified by police, fired multiple shots at Judge Mullins while he sat at his desk. The clip, less than a minute long and without audio, showed Stines calmly leaving the scene after the shooting. As the footage played, supporters of the late judge wept in court, deeply affected by the images.
Stines, who entered a plea of not guilty last week, is facing charges of murder in the death of Mullins, who was killed in his private chambers. Testimony from Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper shed light on the events leading up to the fatal shooting. According to Stamper, Stines made several phone calls before the shooting, including calls to his daughter, using both his phone and the judge’s phone. Investigators are examining the phones for further evidence, though the daughter’s phone has not yet been analyzed.
Detective Stamper also testified that earlier in the day, Stines and Mullins had lunch with several other people. At one point, witnesses reported that Mullins asked Stines if they needed to meet privately, although the context of this question remains unclear. Stamper added that Stines was “mostly calm” when interviewed after his arrest and did not provide a clear motive, only stating, “Treat me fair.”
Defense attorney Jeremy Bartley, who was hired by Stines last week, probed whether Stines had mentioned protecting his family when he was taken into custody. Stamper confirmed that Stines allegedly made a comment about someone “trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”
Despite these details, many questions remain unanswered. Bartley acknowledged the lack of clarity surrounding the case, saying, “I left the hearing today with a lot of questions still unanswered myself.” He stressed that this was just a preliminary hearing, and more information would emerge as the investigation continues.
The case has now been moved forward to a grand jury, with a future court date yet to be announced. Stines, who was friends with Mullins and had served as a bailiff in his courtroom before being elected sheriff, announced his retirement from his position on Monday. Governor Andy Beshear had previously called for Stines’ resignation in the wake of the shooting.