In a shocking turn of events, Shawn "Mickey" Stines, the Kentucky sheriff, stands accused of fatally shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers.
Stines' defense attorney, Jeremy Bartley, insists that the act was not premeditated and that Stines was not in a sound state of mind at the time of the incident.
"As reported by Fox News, Bartley stated, "It was not something that was planned and occurred in the heat of passion. For us, the highest level of culpability should be manslaughter based on the partial defense of extreme emotional disturbance."
On October 1, a silent video played during a preliminary hearing, allegedly showing the Letcher County Sheriff, Stines, firing multiple shots at Mullins, who was seated at his desk on September 19. The video further depicted Stines continuing to fire even after Mullins had collapsed to the floor.
Bartley expressed his belief that there must have been a compelling reason for Stines' drastic action. "We believe there had to be a compelling reason for Sheriff Stines to feel like he had to take action. We are looking forward to obtaining additional information and begin[ning] to tell his story."
Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper, who testified at the preliminary hearing, revealed that the two men had shared a meal with a group just hours before the fatal incident. According to the Louisville Courier Journal, Stamper testified, "I was told that the judge made a statement to Mickey about, Do we need to meet private in my chambers?"
Stamper further testified that Stines attempted to call his daughter using his own phone, and then Mullins' phone. When asked if Stines' motivation to shoot Mullins was based on what he saw on the judge's phone, Stamper responded, "It could be, but I dont know that for a fact."
Stamper also revealed that Stines was calm during their conversation, and his only request was to be treated fairly. "I talked to him, but he didnt say nothing about why this had happened. But he was calm Basically, all he said was, Treat me fair."
Upon his arrest, Stines allegedly told another officer, "they're trying to kidnap my wife and kid," according to Stamper.
The incident has left the community of Letcher County, Kentucky, where Stines served as a bailiff in Mullins' court before becoming sheriff in 2018, in a state of shock. Garnard Kincer Jr., a friend of Mullins and former mayor of Jenkins, told People, "We're all in a state of shock over it. It practically immobilized us. We just can't believe it happened."
Stines, who resigned as sheriff last week, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder. A judge determined at the October 2 hearing that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case. At the time of this report, Bartley was unavailable for further comment.
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