Former top public defender explains how Letcher sheriff's murder case will play out

The preliminary hearing for Letcher County Sheriff Mickey Stines will be next Tuesday in Morgan County. Stines is accused of murdering Letcher County Judge Kevin Mullins in Mullins' chambers last week. Ed Monahan, the former longtime head of the Kentucky Department for Public Advocacy, explained what will happen Tuesday.

“The preliminary hearing is a brief hearing before the district court judge to determine whether there is probable cause to continue to detain the defendant until the grand jury can convene.”

Monahan said the grand jury will hear from the prosecution – and possibly the defense if the grand jury allows it.

“The prosecutor presents evidence to the grand jury, and then it is up to the grand jury to decide whether it is a murder case, a manslaughter case or a negligent homicide case.”

Monahan said if Stines is found guilty, the sentencing hearing could result in the prosecutor presenting aggravating evidence to capitalize the case while the defense presents mitigating evidence. However, he said there was still a lot unknown about the case and that people shouldn't draw conclusions until they heard the whole story.

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