A video was played Tuesday in a probable cause hearing that showed former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines repeatedly shooting Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins.
Stines is charged with murder for the killing of Mullins on Sept. 19 in the judge’s courthouse chambers in Whitesburg. He resigned from his job Monday and has pleaded not guilty.
The 20-second video clip with no audio showed Stines standing and pointing a gun at Mullins, who was seated behind his desk and holding his hands up. Stines then shot Mullins, who fell behind his desk. Stines then shot Mullins several more times at close range and left the room.
Tuesday’s courtroom viewing was the first time the video of the killing was shown publicly. As the video played, Mullins’ family members in the courtroom cried and wailed.
Carter County District Judge Rupert Wilhoit III is the special judge assigned to the case, with the hearing held in Morgan County. After testimony from a Kentucky State Police detective and the playing of the video, Wilhoit found there was probable cause to move the case forward to a grand jury, who will determine whether to indict Stines.
Under questioning from defense attorney Jeremey Bartley, KSP Detective Clayton Stamper said Stines told officers after his arrest that “they’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”
Stamper also testified that the full video showed Stines making calls on his cell phone while seated in the judge’s chambers, then borrowing Mullins’ phone to make another call, after which he stood up and began shooting.
Stamper said Stines tried to call his daughter on his own cell phone, and then did the same with the judge’s phone.
After Judge Wilhoit found probable cause, Jeremy Bartley, the defense attorney for Stines, argued that Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele had established probable cause for manslaughter, but not first degree murder.
Steele countered that the evidence established probable cause that Mullins was intentionally shot and killed by the former sheriff, which the judge said he agreed with.
Bartley stated that under Kentucky’s murder statute, “if there is an issue as to extreme emotional disturbance, then there has to be some evidence that would rebut that.”
Bartley suggested that Stines may have experienced an emotional disturbance because of what took place over the phone.
Under Kentucky statute, a person can be convicted of first degree manslaughter if they intentionally kill someone “under circumstances which do not constitute murder because he or she acts under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance.”
Stamper testified that state police are still investigating the contents of the phones of Mullins and Stines and that he has not yet received an official report with that information.
This story has been updated.
John McGary contributed to this report.
State government and politics reporting is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
