Letcher County, KY Sheriff arrested in shooting death of District Judge

Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested after surrendering himself to police. The shooting occurred in the judge’s chambers about 3 p.m. this afternoon (September 19).
Stines allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, told court employees and others gathered there that he needed to speak with District Judge Kevin D. Mullins alone. The two then went into the inner office, closed the door and those outside heard shots. Stines walked out with his hands up and surrendered to police.

Court employees were on the sidewalk outside the courthouse in shock following the shooting. Stines was handcuffed in the foyer of the courthouse. Officials expected the investigation to continue for several more hours.

Sheriff arrested in shooting death of District Judge - The Mountain Eagle

Kentucky State Police and Letcher County Coroner Perry Fowler were still at the Letcher County Courthouse at 5 p.m. today investigating the shooting death of Letcher District Judge Kevin D. Mullins, apparently by the Letcher County Sheriff. Officials say Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested after...

www.themountaineagle.com

 

[noZme]

 

[noZme]

Who is Mickey Stines? What to know about Letcher County sheriff accused in fatal shooting​

Age 44. According to a 2007 article from The Mountain Eagle, Stines was formerly a bailiff for that Letcher County District Court prior to being elected sheriff in 2018.

According to an electronically filed deposition notice, Stines was expected to provide a deposition Monday in relation to the suit from 2022 with the former deputy sheriff and the woman who alleged she was promised "favorable treatment for sexual favors."

Who is Mickey Stines? What to know about Letcher County sheriff accused in fatal shooting

Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines has been arrested in connection to a shooting at the Letcher County Courthouse on Thursday.

www.courier-journal.com

 

[noZme]

 

[noZme]

WHY?

 

[Guess Who]

Who is Mickey Stines? What to know about Letcher County sheriff accused in fatal shooting​

Age 44. According to a 2007 article from The Mountain Eagle, Stines was formerly a bailiff for that Letcher County District Court prior to being elected sheriff in 2018.

According to an electronically filed deposition notice, Stines was expected to provide a deposition Monday in relation to the suit from 2022 with the former deputy sheriff and the woman who alleged she was promised "favorable treatment for sexual favors."

Who is Mickey Stines? What to know about Letcher County sheriff accused in fatal shooting

Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines has been arrested in connection to a shooting at the Letcher County Courthouse on Thursday.

www.courier-journal.com

So why kill the judge?

 

[Guess Who]

if the comments on the county's fb means anything...welp...

take it for what it's worth. This happens to be one of the few times I can access fb.

Letcher County Sheriff's Office | Whitesburg KY

Letcher County Sheriff's Office, Whitesburg, Kentucky. 12,039 likes · 8 talking about this · 32 were here. Law Enforcement Agency. Sheriff's Office. Government Organization.

www.facebook.com

 

[Guess Who]

WHY?

I linked the sheriffs fb page. Read the comments. Take all with a grain of salt though because it is fb.

 

[Tresir]

Police update. 10 minutes long.

 

[noZme]

Who is Kevin Mullins?​

Kevin R. Mullins, 54, had been a district judge in Letcher County, Kentucky, for 15 years. Before that, he was a prosecutor in Letcher County, starting in 2001. The official title is assistant commonwealth’s attorney. He graduated from the University of Kentucky and the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.

As a district judge in the 47th Judicial District, Mullins handled juvenile cases, misdemeanors, issues involving city and county ordinances, traffic offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, small claims, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, mental commitments and cases involving domestic violence.

Who is Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines?​

Stines was first elected in 2018, then reelected in 2022. His department was hit with a scandal in 2022 when a former deputy, Ben Fields, pleaded guilty to raping two women who were on home arrest, according to The Mountain Eagle.


In a pending civil suit against the former deputy, the home monitoring service that employed him and Stines, the women say Stines did not sufficiently train and supervise Fields. In August, Fields was sentenced to serve six months in the same jail where he used to work.

The judge in that case was not Mullins, but rather a judge from nearby Pike County.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/who-is-judge-kevin-mullins/

 

[Kimster]

I linked the sheriffs fb page. Read the comments. Take all with a grain of salt though because it is fb.

For some reason, I’m having trouble accessing it. Maybe everybody is looking?

 

[Kimster]

This is a crazy story! I’ve never heard anything quite like it. The sheriff? Murders a judge? Right there in cold blood? And there’s been other shady things that have happened in the department in the past?

Yikes.

 

[Guess Who]

This is a crazy story! I’ve never heard anything quite like it. The sheriff? Murders a judge? Right there in cold blood? And there’s been other shady things that have happened in the department in the past?

Yikes.

It seems like a LOT of shady stuff has been going on there for way too long.

 

[noZme]

The Mountain Eagle​

Page · Newspaper

Newspaper for Letcher County, Ky., founded 1907.


SHERIFF, JUDGE ALLEGEDLY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER’S CELL PHONES BEFORE SHOOTING
According to multiple sources, video from inside Letcher District Judge Kevin Mullins’ office shows he exchanged cell phones with Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines before Stines shot him.
Stines had been in the office after asking to speak to Mullins privately. The two sat and talked before Stines stood up and locked the door and each took out his cell phone and handed it to the other.
According to those sources, Stines drew his weapon, walked around Mullins’s desk and shot him repeatedly as Mullins fell to the floor. Stines allegedly fired eight shots.
Mullins was 54 years old and had been district judge since 2009. Stines was his bailiff before running for sheriff.
The two had eaten lunch together with employees of the court system earlier that day.
The shooting occurred about 2:43 p.m. Thursday. Police were dispatched at 2:58 p.m.
Stines, who is 43 and was planning to retire at the end of this term, left the office and surrendered to police. He was in custody within 15 minutes of the initial call. He has been charged with first-degree murder, and is being held in the Leslie County Jail.
Meanwhile, the Letcher County Courthouse remains closed today, Friday, as the investigation continues. Grief counselors were made available to courthouse workers, attorneys, and other involved.

 

[Guess Who]

The Mountain Eagle​

Page · Newspaper

Newspaper for Letcher County, Ky., founded 1907.


SHERIFF, JUDGE ALLEGEDLY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER’S CELL PHONES BEFORE SHOOTING
According to multiple sources, video from inside Letcher District Judge Kevin Mullins’ office shows he exchanged cell phones with Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines before Stines shot him.
Stines had been in the office after asking to speak to Mullins privately. The two sat and talked before Stines stood up and locked the door and each took out his cell phone and handed it to the other.
According to those sources, Stines drew his weapon, walked around Mullins’s desk and shot him repeatedly as Mullins fell to the floor. Stines allegedly fired eight shots.
Mullins was 54 years old and had been district judge since 2009. Stines was his bailiff before running for sheriff.
The two had eaten lunch together with employees of the court system earlier that day.
The shooting occurred about 2:43 p.m. Thursday. Police were dispatched at 2:58 p.m.
Stines, who is 43 and was planning to retire at the end of this term, left the office and surrendered to police. He was in custody within 15 minutes of the initial call. He has been charged with first-degree murder, and is being held in the Leslie County Jail.
Meanwhile, the Letcher County Courthouse remains closed today, Friday, as the investigation continues. Grief counselors were made available to courthouse workers, attorneys, and other involved.

Exchanged phones with each other??? I'm not sure what to make of that,

 

[noZme]

Exchanged phones with each other??? I'm not sure what to make of that,

sounds like something extremely personal, doesn't it? and they had lunch together and with other coworkers a couple hours before.

 

[Guess Who]

sounds like something extremely personal, doesn't it? and they had lunch together and with other coworkers a couple hours before.

EXTREMELY personal!

 

[Kimster]

I think it was over a woman. That's just my guess with what we know now.

 

[Tresir]

Exchanged phones with each other??? I'm not sure what to make of that,

The only thing i can think of is that it is something to do with one of their spouses or something. One of them was having an affair or something.

 

[Tresir]

I think it was over a woman. That's just my guess with what we know now.

Hey I just said similar. Snap.