Investigators show video of the fatal shooting of a Kentucky judge by the accused county sheriff

WEST LIBERTY, Ky. – While former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines was in court Tuesday, attendees of a hearing into the killing of District Judge Kevin Mullins heard testimony about the motive and saw footage of the shooting, which investigators say The sheriff's daughter answered the calls.

The video clip was less than a minute long and contained no sound. It shows a man police have identified as Stines shooting the judge behind his desk several times and then leaving the scene.

Supporters of the judge wept in court as the video was shown.

Stines, who first pleaded not guilty last week, was charged with the murder of Mullins, who was shot to death Sept. 19 in his private quarters at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg.

Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that the full video shows Stines using his own phone to make multiple calls and then using the judge's phone to make one call. The shooting followed.

In his testimony, Stamper said the calls were directed to Stines' daughter. The phones were sent to forensic teams for examination, Stamper said, but his daughter's phone was not examined.

The two men had gone to lunch with several other people earlier in the day, Stamper said. The detective said a witness said Mullins once asked Stines if they needed to meet privately, although the context was unclear.

Stamper added that Stines was “mostly calm” when interviewed after his detention, although he did not offer a motive.

“Basically he just said, 'Treat me fairly,'” the detective said.

Asked by defense attorney Jeremy Bartley whether Stines said anything about “protecting his family” when he was taken into custody, Stamper said Stines allegedly said, “They're trying to kidnap my wife and child.”

Stines was assisted by a public defender in the video arraignment last week when Judge Rupert Wilhoit and Commonwealth Attorney Jackie Steele – who is prosecuting the case along with Attorney General Russell Coleman – asked him to retain an attorney.

At Tuesday's hearing in Morgan County, Stines was represented by attorneys Jeremy and Kerri Bartley, whom the sheriff hired last week.

Stines announced Monday that he is resigning from his position as sheriff. Gov. Andy Beshear called for Stines' resignation last week.

The shooting at the center of the case occurred on September 19 just before 3 p.m. Stines, who surrendered at the scene, was accused of shooting Mullins in his private quarters while other court employees were in the building. The two men were friends, residents say, and Stines worked as a bailiff at the Mullins courthouse for several years before being elected sheriff in 2018.

After the hearing concluded, Wilhoit allowed the case to be sent to a grand jury. Stines' next court date has not been announced.

This story will be updated.

Reporter Rachel Smith contributed. Reach Lucas Aulbach at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky judge's shooting, allegedly by sheriff, is shown in court