Kentucky sheriff charged in judge's death allegedly ignored deputy's abuse of woman in his chambers

WHITESBURG, Ky. -- Residents of a tiny Appalachian municipality struggled Friday to header with a shooting involving 2 of its astir salient citizens: a justice who was gunned down successful his courthouse chambers and a section sheriff charged with his murder.

"It's conscionable truthful sad. I conscionable hatred it," said Mike Watts, the Letcher County circuit tribunal clerk. "Both of them are friends of mine. I've worked with some of them for years."

The preliminary probe indicates Letcher County Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines changeable District Judge Kevin Mullins aggregate times pursuing an statement wrong the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police.

Mullins, 54, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died astatine the scene, and Stines, 43, surrendered without incident. He was charged with 1 number of first-degree murder.

This booking photograph provided by Leslie County Detention Center successful Kentucky connected Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 shows Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines

Leslie County Detention Center via AP

The fatal shooting stunned the tight-knit municipality of Whitesburg, the region seat, with a colonisation of astir 1,700 people, 145 miles (235 kilometers) southeast of Lexington.

Watts said helium saw Mullins and Stines unneurotic soon earlier noon Thursday - astir 3 hours earlier the shooting - erstwhile helium went into the judge's chambers to inquire him to motion immoderate papers. Mullins and Stines were getting acceptable to spell retired to luncheon together, Watts said.

It seemed similar an mean interaction, but that Stines seemed quieter than usual. He thought the brace had a bully moving narration and knew of thing that could person prompted the convulsive encounter. Stines had been a bailiff successful Mullins' courtroom for years earlier becoming sheriff, Watts said.

Watts, who was connected different level successful the courthouse, ne'er heard immoderate shots and lone learned of the shooting shooting erstwhile his lad called to archer him determination was an "active shooter" successful the courthouse.

A cardinal question is what whitethorn person led to the shooting.

Stines was deposed connected Monday successful a suit filed by 2 women, 1 of whom alleged that a lawman forced her to person enactment wrong Mullins' chambers for six months successful speech for staying retired of jail. The suit accuses the sheriff of "deliberate indifference successful failing to adequately bid and supervise" the deputy.

The now-former lawman sheriff, Ben Fields, pleaded blameworthy to raping the pistillate captive portion she was connected location incarceration. Fields was sentenced this twelvemonth to six months successful jailhouse and past six and a fractional years connected probation for rape, sodomy, perjury and tampering with a captive monitoring device, The Mountain Eagle reported. Three charges related to a 2nd pistillate were dismissed due to the fact that she is present dead.

Stines fired Fields, who succeeded him arsenic Mullins' bailiff, for "conduct unbecoming" aft the suit was filed successful 2022, The Courier Journal reported astatine the time.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his bureau volition collaborate with a commonwealth's lawyer successful the portion arsenic peculiar prosecutors successful the transgression case.

"We volition afloat analyse and prosecute justice," Coleman said connected societal media.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter said helium was "shocked by this enactment of violence" and that the tribunal strategy was "shaken by this news."

Jessica Slone, a distant comparative of Stines' and a lifelong nonmigratory of Letcher County, said she was shocked erstwhile she heard the news. She was astatine the dollar store with her nephew erstwhile helium told her Mullins had been shot.

"I was similar seriously? Is helium okay? And helium said 'No, he's dead,'" she said. "But astatine the time, I didn't cognize that Mickey had done it. When I recovered retired I was market buying and I got truly affectional and started praying."

She described Stines arsenic a household antheral who is adjacent with his children and worked hard to get fentanyl and methamphetamine disconnected the streets of the assemblage and assistance radical dealing with substance usage upset get into recovery.

Letcher County's judge-executive closed the region courthouse connected Friday.

It was unclear whether Stines had an lawyer - authorities constabulary referred inquires to a spokesperson who did not instantly respond by email.

Mullins served arsenic a territory justice successful Letcher County since helium was appointed by erstwhile Gov. Steve Beshear successful 2009 and elected the pursuing year.