A sheriff has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after fatally shooting a judge inside his courthouse chambers on Thursday in Whitesburg.
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The incident occurred around 3 p.m. when Sheriff Mickey Stines, 43, entered Judge Kevin D. Mullins’ outer office and informed the staff that he needed to speak with the judge privately. After the men entered Mullins’ inner office and closed the door, an argument broke out, followed by the sound of gunshots. According to Kentucky Today, Stines walked out of the office with raised hands and peacefully surrendered to authorities. Mullins, who had served as the judge for the 47th District in Letcher County since being elected in 2010, was pronounced dead at the scene. Sheriff Stines has been in office since 2019.
The motive behind the shooting is still unclear, but the case has garnered attention at the state level. Attorney General Russell Coleman announced on social media that his office would be involved as a special prosecutor in the investigation. In response to the shooting, several area schools were briefly placed on lockdown as a precaution.
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Governor Andy Beshear released a statement in response to the shooting. He stated, “There is far too much violence in this world.”
Sadly, I have been informed that a district judge in Letcher County was shot and killed in his chambers this afternoon. There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow. ^AB