In Video: Sheriff factors gun at Decide’s head moments earlier than fatally capturing him in courthouse

Days after District Decide Kevin Mullins was shot and killed in his courthouse chambers, allegedly by his longtime pal, Letcher County Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines, newly launched surveillance footage reveals a heated change between the 2 inside Mullins’ workplace on September 19 earlier than the incident occurred.
The video captures the second Stines, 43, pulled out a gun and pointed it on the decide’s head.Moments later, Stines allegedly opened hearth, capturing Mullins a number of occasions. The 54-year-old decide, who had served within the district for years, died on the scene.
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Earlier that very same day, the 2 males had shared lunch, giving no outward signal of the deadly confrontation to return. Sheriff Stines, now going through fees of homicide, had been an in depth pal of Mullins for many years.
Testifying on the listening to, Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper revealed that simply earlier than the capturing, Stines tried to name his daughter utilizing each his cellphone and Decide Mullins’ cellphone. Stamper stated the sheriff’s daughter’s quantity was saved on Mullins’ cellphone, elevating questions concerning the nature of their relationship and what could have triggered the violent confrontation.
“I used to be informed that Sheriff Stines had tried to name his daughter, and he had tried to name his daughter from the decide’s cellphone additionally,” Stamper stated, in line with The Related Press. When requested whether or not the capturing could have been linked to one thing Stines found on the cellphone, Stamper responded: “It might be, however I don’t know that for a reality.”
In keeping with the New York Publish, the motive behind the capturing stays unclear, although authorities are reportedly investigating a doable connection to a intercourse scandal, although no additional particulars have been supplied.
In the course of the preliminary listening to on October 1, Decide Rupert Wilhoit III dominated that there was sufficient possible trigger to imagine that Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines dedicated the crime, permitting the case to maneuver ahead to a grand jury. The grand jury will resolve whether or not to formally indict Stines on fees of murdering District Decide Kevin Mullins.
Following the listening to, Stines’ protection staff expressed doubts concerning the proof offered, stating that they left with “extra questions than solutions.” The protection additionally revealed that they’re conducting a “parallel investigation” to collect extra details about the case.
If Stines is convicted of homicide, he faces a possible sentence of 20 years to life in jail. On condition that the sufferer was a public official, the sheriff might additionally face the loss of life penalty.