In a shocking case that has gripped the small Appalachian community of Whitesburg, Kentucky, Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Mickey Stines has pleaded not guilty to the murder of District Judge Kevin Mullins. Stines, 43, was arraigned via video on Wednesday before a special judge, Carter County District Judge H. Rupert Wilhoit III, in his first court appearance since the September 19 shooting.
The hearing took place after Stines allegedly walked into Mullins’ chambers and fatally shot him following an argument. Mullins, 54, who had served as district judge since 2009, died at the scene.
Stines’ public defender entered the not guilty plea, and there was no discussion of bond. The judge noted that the maximum penalty for the crime would be death.
The shooting shocked the tight-knit community, where both men were well-respected for their work Mullins in helping individuals with substance abuse issues, and Stines for his efforts in combating the opioid crisis.
Kentucky State Police have not provided a motive for the shooting. However, it is known that Stines had recently been deposed in a federal lawsuit just days before the incident.
The lawsuit involved accusations that Stines failed to investigate claims that one of his deputies sexually abused a woman in Judge Mullins’ chambers while working as a bailiff.
The investigation is being handled by the Kentucky Attorney General’s office, with a special prosecutor leading the case due to the close social and family ties between the local prosecutor, Matt Butler, and the judge.
Butler emphasized the personal loss, noting that he and Mullins were related through marriage and that their children were particularly close.
The case has left the community grappling with the tragedy, as both Stines and Mullins were seen as pillars of the community, making the circumstances of the killing even more confounding.