The small-town Kentucky sheriff who allegedly killed a judge inside his office was acting “in the heat of passion,” his defense attorney said.
Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines, 43, is accused of pumping eight bullets into his friend Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, after entering the judge's office at the Lechter County Courthouse on September 19.
He pleaded not guilty to the murder – which stunned the small town of Whitesburg – and resigned as sheriff.
The video shows Stines pointing his gun at Mullins as his hands are raised, cowering behind his desk — but the sheriff's lawyers insist the killing was unplanned.
'It wasn't something planned and happened in the heat of passion. For us, the highest level of culpability should be manslaughter based on the partial defense of extreme emotional disturbance,” said defense attorney Jeremy Bartley. PEOPLE.
Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines (pictured), 43, is accused of firing eight bullets into his close judge friend inside his office
Stines' lawyers claim that the sheriff acted “in the heat of passion” and that the murder was not planned
“We believe there must be a compelling reason for Sheriff Stines to feel he needs to act. We look forward to gaining additional information and beginning to tell their story.”
Detectives are probing a potential motive, but the shooting is believed to have occurred after Stines discovered his daughter's phone number on Mullins' phone.
CCTV footage shown in court during a preliminary hearing on Oct. 2 showed Stines checking his phone before taking a call from the judge.
Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that he was told the sheriff attempted to contact his daughter from both devices.
As DailyMail.com exclusively reported last month, just hours before the shooting, the sheriff and judge, who were longtime friends, shared an outdoor table at the popular Streetside Grill & Bar on Main Street for lunch, just a few hundreds of meters from the court. .
The two used to have lunch together at the sports bar and on that fateful Thursday they ordered the usual – both eating $13.99 wings and salad.
Stines is accused of shooting Judge Kevin Mullins (pictured), 54, after entering the judge's office at the Lechter County Courthouse on September 19.
The video shows Stines pointing his gun at Mullins while his hands are raised, cowering behind his desk
“I'm told the judge made a statement to Mickey about, 'Do we need to meet privately in my chambers?'” Stamper said, according to CNN.
'When he was taken into custody, one of the other officers told me he made the comment, 'They're trying to kidnap my wife and son.'
Police allege Stines entered the judge's outer courtroom, told court staff he needed to speak alone with Mullins, and then began shooting at him as soon as they entered the inner courtroom.
Stines then came out with his hands raised and surrendered to officers, who handcuffed him. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder.
Mullins was appointed judge in the state's 47th District under former governor Steve Beshear in 2009. Stines was elected sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
The shooting is believed to have happened after Stines discovered his daughter's phone number on Mullins' phone
Stines pleaded not guilty to the murder – which stunned the small town of Whitesburg – and resigned as sheriff.
Police have confirmed they are investigating the motive behind a 'sex scandal', among other clues, in Mullins' sensational death.
One thing that undoubtedly worried Stines, who was the 54-year-old judge's bailiff before becoming sheriff in 2018, was a civil case against one of his deputies, who was convicted and sentenced for rape.
The 43-year-old sheriff was accused of failing to properly train and supervise former deputy Ben Fields, who coerced a home-incarcerated woman into having sex in exchange for favors – ironically in Judge Mullins' office.
