LOCAL NEWS: A Kentucky sheriff may now face the death penalty after being accused of shooting a judge in his chambers last week.
A Kentucky sheriff charged with the fatal shooting of a judge in his chambers last week could face the death penalty if convicted, according to a special judge assigned to oversee the case.
Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Stines, 43, made his initial court appearance on Wednesday, pleading not guilty to first-degree murder charges.
The incident allegedly occurred on Thursday when Stines shot Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, inside the Letcher County Courthouse.
Kentucky State Police reported that the shooting followed an argument in the courthouse, and investigators are still working to determine a motive.
Witnesses revealed that Stines and Mullins had lunch together on the day of the shooting, as reported by Letcher County Circuit Clerk Mike Watts to ABC affiliate WTVQ.
During the brief hearing held via Zoom, Stines showed no visible emotion while appearing in a jail uniform alongside his public defender, who entered the not guilty plea on his behalf. Stines is scheduled to return to court on October 1.
Mullins was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds after a 911 caller reported hearing gunfire inside the courthouse.
Stines was taken into custody without incident at the scene.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether Stines used his official duty weapon in the incident.
Just days before the shooting, Stines was deposed in a lawsuit alleging that he failed to investigate claims involving one of his deputies accused of sexually abusing a woman in Mullins’ chambers.
In response to the tragedy, Whitesburg Mayor Tiffany Craft expressed the community’s shock, stating that they had been “rocked to its core” by the event.
She emphasized that no one could have anticipated such violence in their small town, highlighting both Stines and Mullins as “great pillars of the community.”
Circuit Clerk Watts, who knew both men for decades, echoed this sentiment, describing them as friends and work family whom he saw almost daily.
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