New details on ex-sheriff's motive for murdering judge: 'Heat of passion'

A former Kentucky sheriff experienced an “extreme emotional disturbance” when he allegedly fatally shot a judge, according to his attorney.

Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, faces a first-degree murder charge for allegedly shooting and killing District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, at the Letcher County Courthouse on Sept. 19. Stines retired from office after the fatal shooting.

New details about the case emerged at a preliminary hearing last month. Jeremy Bartley, Stines' attorney, argued that Stines was experiencing an “extreme emotional disturbance” and claimed insufficient evidence had been presented to support the murder charge.

“I think they initially established probable cause for manslaughter, but not murder,” Bartley said.

He claimed the shooting was not planned and that Stines was experiencing an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time.

“It wasn’t something that was planned and happened in the heat of passion,” Bartley told PEOPLE. “For us, the highest level of criminal liability should be manslaughter, based on the partial defense of extreme emotional disturbance.”

Despite Bartley's objection, Senior Regional Judge Rupert Wilhoit ruled that there was enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury.

As the hearing began, more details emerged about the events leading up to the shooting. Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that Stines and Mullins went out to lunch with several others on Sept. 19.

“I'm told the judge made a statement to Mickey: 'Do we have to meet privately in my chambers?' That’s all I was told,” Stamper said.

Stamper said officers told him that Stines tried to call his daughter from Mullins' chambers before the shooting. He then borrowed Mullins' phone and tried to call her again.

Stamper also said Stines told officers, “You're trying to kidnap my wife and child,” as he was being taken into custody.

Surveillance footage of the shooting was played in the courtroom. In the video, Mullins hid under his desk while Stines fired several shots. Stines then approached the judge and shot him twice at close range before leaving the chamber.

Newsweek contacted Bartley and Commonwealth's Attorney Jackie Steele for information about Stines' next court appearance.

Three days before the shooting, Stines gave a statement in a lawsuit in which he is named as a defendant. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleges Stines failed to properly train one of his deputies. The woman who filed the lawsuit, Sabrina Adkins, claims that Deputy Ben Fields forced her to perform unwanted sexual acts in Mullins' chambers.

The lawsuit does not indicate that Mullins had any knowledge of the alleged incident.

Ned Pillersdorf, the attorney handling the lawsuit, told PEOPLE that Stines behaved “strangely” during the deposition.

“My experience in a Kentucky court: When you file a civil rights lawsuit against a sheriff, they're usually gregarious and talkative, he was none of those things: subdued, tense, evasive, highly unfriendly,” Pillersdorf told the outlet. “I actually thought there was something going on with him emotionally. And three days later, this incredible shooting happened. Does that have anything to do with it? Who knows.”

Stines was first elected sheriff in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022.

He previously served as a bailiff for the Letcher County Circuit Court.

After Stines retired, Billy Jones was sworn in as Letcher County Sheriff.

Who is District Judge Kevin Mullins?

Mullins was a judge in the 47th Judicial District. He was appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear in 2009 and was elected to the position the following year.

Hundreds of mourners gathered to honor Mullins at his funeral in September.

“His passion for people was his magical instinct. He cannot begin to count how many lives he has saved or improved,” said state Supreme Court Justice Debra Lambert. “Our farm family is pained by his loss.”

Lambert served with Mullins on the state Judicial Commission on Mental Health.

Mullins' obituary states that he impacted over 20,000 people by “establishing a local protocol designed to connect people to treatment services early in their involvement with the justice system, thereby bringing about transformative change.” and ways in which justice can support recovery.”

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