A Kentucky sheriff accused of fatally shooting a district judge has officially turned in his badge after announcing his retirement from the position.
Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines is accused of shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times on Sept. 19 in the local Whitesburg courthouse. Mullins, a judge since 2009, died at the scene.
Stines reportedly surrendered without incident and has subsequently pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge. He has been in custody since surrendering to other law enforcement officers moments after the shooting.
According to Kerri Bartley, an attorney acting on behalf of Stines, her client decided to retire on his own terms on Sept. 30 rather than as the result of any request, ultimatum, or concession to prosecutors’ allegations.
“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,” she said.
Bartley said the former sheriff wanted to thank his staff, along with others who worked with him during a long career in law enforcement over a 22-year period.
“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,” she said.
The Letcher County judge executive will be responsible for appointing a new sheriff sometime in the future. No announcement has been made about possible candidates or a timeline for that decision.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear previously pushed for Stines to resign and threatened to start a removal process if the lawman declined to step down voluntarily by Sept. 25. The deadline passed, but Stines didn’t announce his retirement until Sept. 30.
Beshear said his concern was about getting someone into the sheriff role sooner rather than later because “Every Kentucky county needs an active and a working sheriff,” and “Letcher County doesn’t have an active and a working sheriff” right now.
Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the shooting but claim Stines and Mullins were involved in an argument prior to the incident.
The Kentucky attorney general’s office is collaborating with the special prosecutor during the investigation of the case.
If convicted, Stines could face 20 years to life in prison. However, because the victim was a public official, prosecutors could seek the death penalty, but no decision has been made on that front yet, according to special prosecutor Jackie Steele.
