Who is Judge Kevin Mullins?

(NewsNation) — A longtime justice successful a agrarian region courtroom that deals with mostly insignificant crimes, Kevin Mullins was killed by the sheriff of the region they some served, according to the Kentucky State Police. Here is what we know.

What was Mullins' background?

Kevin R. Mullins, 54, had been a District Judge successful Letcher County, Kentucky for 15 years. Before that, helium was a authoritative successful Letcher County, starting successful 2001. The authoritative rubric is adjunct commonwealth’s attorney. He was a postgraduate of the University of Kentucky and the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law astatine the University of Louisville.

As a territory justice of the 47^th Judicial District, Mullins handled juvenile cases, misdemeanors, issues involving metropolis and region ordinances, postulation offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, tiny claims, civilian cases progressive $5,000 oregon less, intelligence commitments and cases involving home violence.

How was Mullins killed?

Stines allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, past told tribunal employees and others gathered determination that helium needed to talk with Mullins alone, according to The Mountain Eagle. Shortly aft the 2 walked into the judge’s chambers, shots were heard. Then Stines walked retired with his hands up and surrendered to constabulary officers.

State constabulary accidental measures were made to effort to prevention Mullins' beingness but nary were successful. No different injuries were reported, according to NewsNation affiliate WJHL.

Who is Mickey Stines?

Shawn M. "Mickey" Stines, 43, the sheriff successful Letcher County, was archetypal elected successful 2018, past reelected successful 2022. His section was deed with a ungraded successful 2022 erstwhile a erstwhile deputy, Ben Fields, pleaded blameworthy to raping 2 women who were connected location arrest, according to The Mountain Eagle.

In a pending civilian suit against the erstwhile deputy, the location monitoring work that employed him and Sheriff Stines, the women accidental that Stines did not sufficiently bid and supervise Fields. In August, Fields was sentenced to service six months successful the aforesaid jailhouse wherever helium utilized to work.

The justice successful that lawsuit was not Mullins, but alternatively a justice from adjacent Pike County.

When did Mullins go a judge?

Mullins was appointed successful 2009 by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, and was elected successful his ain close a twelvemonth later, according to The Mountain Eagle. He has been reelected ever since. Mullins’ decease was confirmed by the existent governor, Andy Beshear, lad of Steve Beshear.

Beshear posted connected X that determination is “far excessively overmuch unit successful this world, and I commune determination is simply a way to a amended tomorrow.”

Where did Kevin Mullins die?

Letcher County, Kentucky is heavy successful the hills of the eastbound country of the state, bordering Virginia and sandwiched betwixt Tennessee and West Virginia. It has a colonisation of astir 21,000. The region spot is Whitesburg, which has a colonisation of less than 2,000.