Judge reportedly called Letcher County sheriff’s daughter before deadly courthouse shooting

WHITESBURG, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — A preliminary hearing revealed new details into what led to the shooting death of Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins.

Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines appeared before a judge Tuesday afternoon in Morgan County for a preliminary hearing.

Lead investigator, Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper, was called to the witness stand. According to Stamper, surveillance video allegedly captured the exchange that led to Stines shooting Mullins multiple times.

A roughly 10-second excerpt from the surveillance camera footage showed the exchange inside the judge’s chambers. Witnesses in the next room told investigators they couldn’t overhear what led to the argument between the two men but reportedly heard multiple gunshots and Mullins pleading for help.

Mullins and Stines reportedly had a lunch meeting earlier in the day at StreetSide Grill & Bar. There, Mullins was overheard asking Stines if they needed to meet in private in his chambers, according to Stamper.

Once the pair returned to the courthouse and were inside Mullins’ chambers, the video shows Stines making a phone call and then using Mullins’ phone to make a call. Stamper testified that the outgoing calls were made to Stines’ daughter, whose number was saved in Mullins’ phone.

Surveillance video showed that the shooting occurred just moments after the calls were made.

Stamper said that Stines’ daughter has been interviewed with a parent present, but her phone was not collected as evidence yet.

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Both Mullins’ and Stines’ phones were sent for forensic examination, but investigators have yet to receive the results. A woman reportedly employed by the Letcher County Sheriff’s Office also gave her phone to investigators to be examined. Stamper testified that she was one of Stines’ employees and believed she’d received text messages from Stines that detailed what occurred at lunch and ultimately led to the shooting.

Court documents state that Stines was arrested without incident. After his arrest, Stamper said that Stines was ultimately calm and told investigators, “Treat me fair.”

In cross-examination, Stines’ attorney Jeremy A. Bartley questioned a statement Stines reportedly made during his arrest that was not noted in court documents.

“I wasn’t present,” Stamper said. “But when he was taken into custody, I was told by one of the other officers that were there that he made the comment, ‘They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.'”

Bartley also argued that the charges against Stines should be amended down to manslaughter due to Stamper’s testimony that claimed there was no evidence to show the shooting was planned and was the result of “extreme emotional disturbance.”

The Commonwealth objected to this motion, which was ultimately sustained because Mullins was not believed to be armed at the time of the shooting.

Stines entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment on Sept. 25. According to District Judge Rupert Wilson, Stines has been charged with a class A felony, which could be punishable by 20 years to life in prison with the possibility of the death penalty.

Tuesday’s hearing occurred just a day after Stines announced his retirement ahead of the ongoing legal process.

His retirement comes after pressure to resign from Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky General Counsel S. Travis Mayo. A letter to Stines from the governor stated that if he did not take action, he would be removed from the position.

The letter setting his retirement in stone can be read below:

Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines has proudly served the people of Letcher County for over 22 years. He expresses his heartfelt appreciation and love for the support this community has given him and his family during his time in service.

Mr. Stines has made the difficult decision to effect his retirement as of September 30, 2024. This decision is made, not as a result of any ultimatum or in any way as a concession to any allegations made by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Rather, Sheriff Stines has made this decision to allow for a successor to continue to protect his beloved constituents while he addresses the legal process ahead of him.

Mr. Stines thanks every member of his staff, past and present, as well as those who have worked with him over the years. He asks for your thoughts and prayers of support for him and his family; and asks that their privacy be respected during the judicial process.

The Law Office of Jeremy A. Bartley

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