Former Letcher County attorney Kentucky Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stins plans to argue that his client was not negligent due to the murder of district judge Kevin Mullins by insanity, court records show.
Stines, 43, “We intend to present expert evidence related to mental illness or defect or mental condition associated with guilt and punishment issues,” according to a submission by Attorney Jeremy Bartley.
The submission also states that it “will present a defence of insanity and a defence of extreme emotional disturbance.”
Former Letcher County Sheriff Sean “Mickey” Stin can be seen pointing his gun at District Court Judge Kevin Mullins. (Letcher County Handouts)
Kentucky Sheriff, charged with murder of a judge, did not plan a murder that got caught up in “passion fever”: lawyer
Steen is said to have shot Mullins, 54, in the Mullins Chambers on September 19th. The shooting gets caught up in video, showing Mullins trying to hide behind the desk as Stin settles and opens the fire.
Stines is charged with one count of murder of a civil servant. He pleaded not guilty in November.
The man reportedly was a friend 20 years before Mullins' death.
This booking photo provided by the Leslie County Detention Center in Kentucky on Friday, September 20, 2024 shows Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stins. (Leslie County Detention Center via the AP)
The motives for the suspicious crime remain unknown.
Stins had abdicated in a civil lawsuit related to sexual abuse the same month as the shooting. Reported by Louisville Courier-Journal.
Kentucky Sheriff was charged with a fatal shooting judge who died in a rape-related case
Former Recher County Deputy Director Ben Fields was convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a woman in the same room where the shooting occurred in 2021. The woman was under house arrest at the time, and the court concluded that Fields forced her to have sexual favors in exchange for keeping her out of prison.
Stines was accused of “intentional indifference in failing to properly train and supervise.”
Civil lawsuits are pending.
Defence counsel Jeremy Burtley questioned KSP detective Clayton Stamper during a preliminary hearing for Sean “Mickey” Stin in Morgan County District Court. October 1st, 2024. (Scott Utterback / Courier Journal / USA Today Network Imagn Images)
Additionally, Kentucky State Police confirmed Daily Mail It was investigating another sexual scandal, and before the shooting, Stins and Mullins looked at each other's phones.
A preliminary hearing in October revealed inside the judge's room that Stins had called from his phone and Mullins' phone. Kentucky State Police detective Clayton Stamper testified that the call was against Stins' daughter. Fox 56 reported.
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Fox News Digital has asked Stines' attorney and prosecutor Jackie Steele for comment.
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Christina Coulter of Fox News contributed to this report.
