Former Kentucky Sheriff Charged with Murder Remains Mentally Unstable

The former sheriff of Letcher County, who faces charges for allegedly murdering a district judge, has been reported to be in a “mentally ill state” a few days post-shooting. He struggled with prison staff, necessitating the use of pepper spray, according to recent court documents.

Shawn “Mickey” Stines, the ex-sheriff, is accused of killing District Judge Kevin Mullins in his office nearly a year ago—a shocking event for the close-knit community in eastern Kentucky, where Stines had been elected sheriff twice. Surveillance footage from Mullins’ chambers reportedly shows Stines pointing a gun and firing.

The former sheriff has pleaded not guilty to the murder. This week, Stines’ attorneys filed a transcript of a state police detective’s testimony along with additional case documents.

Stines’ legal team has requested that the findings from the state doctor’s mental evaluation not be sealed, arguing that he experienced “extreme emotional disturbance” prior to the incident.

A social worker, who saw Stines shortly after the shooting, noted in a report that he appeared to be suffering from “vigorous mental illness” and didn’t seem to understand the charges against him. There had been a “combat episode requiring pepper spray.”

According to Detective Clayton Stamper, the events leading up to and following the shooting on September 19 were detailed in a court application submitted this week. Following the shooting, an aide witnessed Stines walking away from the courthouse with a “blank expression,” disregarding inquiries from the assistant judge. When two officers apprehended him, Stines had said, “There was no one else; that was me,” as they were preparing for an active shooter scenario.

Responding officers found Judge Mullins with multiple gunshot wounds in his office. Detectives reviewed video footage which showed Stines asking four individuals to leave the judge’s office just before the shooting, along with his movements, which included checking doors and borrowing the judge’s phone.

Stamper recounted that Stines initially fired two shots at Mullins, moved around his desk to fire another shot, and then shot six more times after reaching under the desk.

Authorities looked into any possible connections between Mullins and Stines’ family, including a review of phone records, but found no evidence of any relationship. Stines’ family also confirmed that they had never interacted with Mullins.

Stines resigned as sheriff shortly after the incident and is currently being held in custody in eastern Kentucky.

This week, prosecutors requested to relocate the trial outside the county, but Stines’ attorneys contested the move, asserting that he could still have a fair trial in his home county. No dates for the trial have been established.