By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
Attorney General Russell Coleman and Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 27th Judicial Circuit Jackie Steele announced last week that action by their joint prosecution resulted in the indictment of former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, for murder of a public official.
The Letcher County Grand Jury indicted Stines on one count of Murder – Public Official. According to the indictment, Stines shot and killed Letcher County District Court Judge Kevin Mullins. The arraignment was set for Monday at noon.
According to Kentucky State Police, Stines, a resident of McRoberts, fatally shot Mullins, who lived in the Jackhorn community, on Sept. 19, following an argument inside the courthouse.
Stines allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, told court employees and others gathered he needed to speak with Mullins alone. The two then went into the inner office, closed the door and those outside heard shots following a short argument. Stines walked out with his hands up and surrendered without incident to the police.
While authorities have not released details about the argument that led to shots being fired, media reports say Stines gave testimony during a deposition a few days before the shooting involving a case in which the sheriff was accused of not properly supervising a deputy who coerced a woman into having sex with him in Judge Mullins’ office.
Mullins was the judge for the 47th District County in Letcher County and was first elected to the bench in 2010.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Steele and Ramsey Dallam, Deputy Executive Director of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit, presented the case to the Letcher County Grand Jury on behalf of the Commonwealth.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported when a reporter asked whether prosecutors plan to pursue the death penalty, 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.”