KENTUCKY — Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, who is charged with murder in the death of District Judge Kevin Mullins, was in court Oct. 1 for a preliminary hearing.

What You Need To Know

  • Shawn "Mickey" Stines, the former sheriff of Letcher County, was in court Oct. 1 for a preliminary hearing

  • He is charged with murder in the death of District Judge Kevin Mullins 

  • Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper, the lead investigator in the case, said Stines tried to call his daughter on Mullins' phone before the shooting took place 

  • Stines, 43, pleaded not guilty to murder Sept. 25; he later resigned Sept. 30 

A 10-to-15-second video clip was played of the shooting inside the judge’s chamber. Only those inside the Morgan County courtroom saw it.

Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper, the lead investigator in the case, testified Stines and Mullins had lunch together the afternoon of the fatal Sept. 19 shooting with several other people.

Stamper said at one point, Mullins asked Stines if they needed to meet privately in his chambers. He then detailed some moments leading up to the shooting, including Stines trying to call his daughter on Mullins' personal cell phone. 

The phones recovered at the scene are now in a forensic lab, Stamper added, and the contents are being downloaded. Stines’ daughter has been interviewed, with her parents present. KSP did not obtain her phone, but Stamper said they may request records for her cell phone number.

Stamper also testified about Stines’ demeanor when he was arrested and said he was mostly calm, but added “when (Stines) was taken into custody, I was told by one of the officers that were there that he made the comment that ‘they’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.’”

Defense Attorney Jeremy Bartley asked the judge to consider reducing the charge from first-degree murder to first-degree manslaughter, but the request was not granted.

Stines, 43, pleaded not guilty Sept. 25. Mullins, 54, held judgeship for 15 years. If convicted, Stines could serve 20 years to life in prison and could potentially face the death penalty since he’s accused of killing a public official. He resigned Sept. 30 days after Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., called on him to step down and threatened to begin a removal process if he declined to do so. 

The fatal shooting stunned the tight-knit town of Whitesburg, the Letcher County seat, with a population of about 1,700 near the Virginia border in southeastern Kentucky.

Mullins served as a district judge in Letcher County since he was appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear in 2009 and elected the following year. He was remembered for his public service at his funeral in a high school gym. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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