Photo Credit: Shutterstock
A Kentucky sheriff has been charged with first-degree murder following the alleged shooting of a rural judge in his courthouse chambers. Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines is accused in a federal lawsuit of neglecting to investigate claims that one of his deputies sexually abused a woman in the very chambers of District Judge Kevin Mullins.
The shooting incident, which occurred on Thursday, left Judge Mullins, 54, dead at the scene after being shot multiple times during a confrontation with Stines, 43. The specifics of their argument remain unclear as the investigation continues, with Kentucky State Police seeking further details.
Stines was deposed earlier this week in a lawsuit filed by two women. One woman claimed that a deputy coerced her into sexual acts in Mullins’ chambers over a six-month period, threatening jail time if she refused. The lawsuit alleges the sheriff exhibited “deliberate indifference” by failing to adequately supervise the deputy involved. The former deputy, Ben Fields, has since pleaded guilty to rape, receiving a sentence of six months in jail followed by six and a half years of probation.
Following the lawsuit’s filing in 2022, Sheriff Stines terminated Fields for “conduct unbecoming” as he had previously served as Mullins’ bailiff.
The judge’s killing has sent shockwaves through the small Appalachian community of Whitesburg, where Stines was booked into a detention center two counties away to ensure impartiality.
Lead county prosecutor Matt Butler recused himself and his office from the case due to personal ties with the late judge, explaining, “We all know each other here… I have already taken steps to recuse myself and my entire office.”
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced that his office will partner with a local commonwealth’s attorney to handle the case, emphasizing a commitment to a thorough investigation. In response to the violence, Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter expressed his shock, indicating that the court system has been deeply affected by the incident. Letcher County’s courthouse was closed on Friday as the community grapples with the aftermath of these events.
Legal News
September 9, 2024Boar's Head Faces Multiple Lawsuits After Fatal Listeria Outbreak
