Kentucky - Judge killed, sheriff arrested in Letcher County courthouse shooting - Sep. 19, 2024 # 2

[sds71]

Kentucky State Police and Letcher County Coroner Perry Fowler were still at the Letcher County Courthouse at 5 p.m. today investigating the shooting death of Letcher District Judge Kevin D. Mullins, apparently by the Letcher County Sheriff.

Officials say Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested after surrendering himself to police. The shooting occurred in the judge’s chambers about 3 p.m. this afternoon (September 19).

Police had Main Street in Whitesburg cordoned off and were shooing citizens off the streets around it.

Stines allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, told court employees and others gathered there that he needed to speak with Mullins alone. The two then went into the inner office, closed the door and those outside heard shots. Stines walked out with his hands up and surrendered to police.

Court employees were on the sidewalk outside the courthouse in shock following the shooting. Stines was handcuffed in the foyer of the courthouse. Officials expected the investigation to continue for several more hours.

We will have more information as it comes available.

Sheriff arrested in shooting death of District Judge - The Mountain Eagle

Kentucky State Police and Letcher County Coroner Perry Fowler were still at the Letcher County Courthouse at 5 p.m. today investigating the shooting death of Letcher District Judge Kevin D. Mullins, apparently by the Letcher County Sheriff. Officials say Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested after...

www.themountaineagle.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1836880370676928513

MEDIA, MAPS, TIMELINE *NO DISCUSSION* THREAD

THREAD NUMBER 1

 

[DS2021]

Kentucky State Police and Letcher County Coroner Perry Fowler were still at the Letcher County Courthouse at 5 p.m. today investigating the shooting death of Letcher District Judge Kevin D. Mullins, apparently by the Letcher County Sheriff.

Officials say Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested after surrendering himself to police. The shooting occurred in the judge’s chambers about 3 p.m. this afternoon (September 19).

Police had Main Street in Whitesburg cordoned off and were shooing citizens off the streets around it.

Stines allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, told court employees and others gathered there that he needed to speak with Mullins alone. The two then went into the inner office, closed the door and those outside heard shots. Stines walked out with his hands up and surrendered to police.

Court employees were on the sidewalk outside the courthouse in shock following the shooting. Stines was handcuffed in the foyer of the courthouse. Officials expected the investigation to continue for several more hours.

We will have more information as it comes available.

Sheriff arrested in shooting death of District Judge - The Mountain Eagle

Kentucky State Police and Letcher County Coroner Perry Fowler were still at the Letcher County Courthouse at 5 p.m. today investigating the shooting death of Letcher District Judge Kevin D. Mullins, apparently by the Letcher County Sheriff. Officials say Sheriff Mickey Stines was arrested after...

www.themountaineagle.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1836880370676928513

Letcher County

www.letchercounty.ky.gov

 

[Tricia]

Hi Everyone,
If you know the Sheriff or if you know anyone connected to this case could you please email me at websleuthsvideos@gmail.com.
Thank you.

 

[vls12345]

Posted this just as the previous thread closed, so I will repost here in Thread #2:

Is Jeremy Bartley, defense attorney at yesterday's preliminary hearing, assigned by the court to MS or was he retained independently?

Attorney Bartley's website:
https://www.carwreckattorneykentucky.com/

 

[vls12345]

Kentucky judge murder case: What was alleged about former Sheriff Stines' motive?

Motive remains a key question in the murder case against former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines. Here's the latest.

www.courier-journal.com

 

[worm]

Growing up in the south I’ve often heard lunch referred to has dinner. It’s often used for an after church meal which is usually just after 12pm but called “Sunday dinner”.

 

[vls12345]

I know there had been an earlier question as to whether Stines wore cuffs in court.

"Stines has been jailed since the shooting and retired this week.

He was at Tuesday’s hearing, handcuffed at the wrists and chained at the ankles. He did not speak publicly."

https://kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article293301379.html

 

[Simply Southern]

Growing up in the south I’ve often heard lunch referred to has dinner. It’s often used for an after church meal which is usually just after 12pm but called “Sunday dinner”.

This from our English ancestors, lunch is dinner and the evening meal is supper. Many in the south have many traditions from the English....oysters on Christmas Eve is one my family observed.

Meals and Mealtimes in Britain - What Are They Called?

Do you know the mealtimes in the UK and Ireland? You're not alone. Learn when exactly tea, afternoon tea, and supper are before your next trip!

www.thespruceeats.com

 

[susiQ]

Such a sad case. Don’t even want to imagine what sparked this murder. What could have been SO triggering to set this off? It appears something that involved the daughter, at least at the moment.

A little tidbit that caught my attention was that MS had lost 40 lbs in two weeks. Seems a bit extraordinary even for Ozempic, the latest weight loss craze, but who knows? Maybe anxiety, stress, sleeplessness? A thought that crossed my mind with regard to rapid weight loss is cancer. I’ve seen it too many times, but mostly in less rotund individuals. Let that take you where it may. Nothing to lose? Just a thought.

Eta: May be way off base, as he did speak of retiring and studying the law.

 

[Lorenathered]

I am leaning towards the theory that it may have been a DV situation. The reason why I think this is his lack of emotion to the events and his seeming lack of care or concern for his family. IMO, if he cared at all about his family and didn't see them as possessions, this would not have been the action he took. If he is trying to say he was protecting the daughter, well look at the huge amount of damage he has done to her. If it was worse case scenario, now the whole town, not just town but world........is going to know everything. How does that not destroy her? No matter what the reason, she will probably always have the guilt of thinking the murder is her fault. I have not one ounce of compassion or sympathy for that horrible man. I hope the book gets throw and he rots in a cell for all the damage he has done.

 

[Dotta]

I'm thinking about some undiagnosed MH issues.
He looked unhinged in the video

Also, his earlier behaviour and sudden weight loss
are worrying/puzzling.

JMO

 

[?!?]

Growing up in the south I’ve often heard lunch referred to has dinner. It’s often used for an after church meal which is usually just after 12pm but called “Sunday dinner”.

Same with rural New England many years ago....

 

[Soulmagent]

I saw someone post something already about how his lawyers are trying to deflect with these rumors etc..etc.. These rumors did not come from the suspect or his lawyers ,they came from the community .
I understand people live in a vacuum sometimes and project things they think they see ,but other people live in that same vacuum space and refuse to acknowledge the picture they forgot they created.

 

[nerosleuth]

The Ashland Daily independent newspaper from Ashland, Kentucky reported details of the surveillance footage of the judge’s final moments in his chambers that was shown during the preliminary hearing.

The newspaper reported that the case is bound to the grand jury which will decide if Stines will be indicted on a capital murder charge.

It was reported that when Stines is indicted by the grand jury, his case will transfer to felony circuit court, but in which county or judge will hear his case is not known at this time.

The newspaper article mentioned that in Kentucky, the punishment for murder if convicted is 25 years to life or the death penalty.

It also mentioned Stines defense attorney could seek a conviction for Stines on a reduced charge of 1st degree manslaughter, and the punishment for 1st degree manslaughter if convicted is 10 to 20 years in prison.

Source:

Prelim provides details, footage of judge shooting

 

[nerosleuth]

The shooting incident that occurred last month at the Letcher County Courthouse is not the first courthouse shooting incident in Kentucky.

I found an interesting article that mentioned that another courthouse shooting had also occurred in the Graves County, Kentucky in 1922 that is eerily similar.

On March 6, 1922, Deputy Sam Galloway, 29, gunned down Graves County Sheriff John T. Roach, 30, in the sheriff’s office. Galloway evidently killed Roach after he heard the sheriff planned to fire him.

On March 7, the Graves County grand jury indicted Galloway for willful murder, which carried a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment. The case against Galloway seemed open and shut. After all, there were multiple witnesses.

The first and second court trials for Deputy Galloway ended in mistrial. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in his third court trial and received a sentence of seven years in prison.

A Kentucky community was shaken by a courthouse shooting in 1922

 

[housewife]

I wish I could find free KY marriage certificates online.

 

[Elley Mae]

Wonder did the daughter answer the phone and hear the shots.

 

[Soulmagent]

Wonder did the daughter answer the phone and hear the shots.

I did notice she turned sideways when the shooting clip was played in court.

Also I find it interesting that we are told to wait for all the facts by LE often and then in courts we are denied the whole video's . I also believe we need to take a closer look at what we allow the professionals and courts to conceal on investigations while release smear the defendants.

 

[m00c0w]

The 40 pounds thing is curious, but also is reporting from a single source without much context. It’s not clear, for instance, if the sheriff may have been exaggerating for effect and someone at the paper decided to turn it into something it’s not. 40lbs is a significant weight loss and should be fairly noticeable. His diet is almost certainly much more restrictive than it would be outside of jail and it doesn’t look like he’s lost a significant amount of weight since being arrested.

I’m just not really sure how much reality there is to the weight loss claim, is what I’m trying to say.

JMO

 

[tlcya]

I did notice she turned sideways when the shooting clip was played in court.

Also I find it interesting that we are told to wait for all the facts by LE often and then in courts we are denied the whole video's . I also believe we need to take a closer look at what we allow the professionals and courts to conceal on investigations while release smear the defendants.

I am personally more concerned with the smearing of the judge that began almost immediately on the web fueled by gossip and rumor that thus far has been completely unsubstantiated. The accused has an attorney to look out for his interests. The victim is the only truly defenseless individual in that regard as he cannot refute the insinuations made against him after his death. JMO MOO

We (public) aren't being denied anything. IMO it's a time place thing. A preliminary hearing is not the place to trot out all the evidence and arguments about what that evidence means. It is simply is there enough evidence to move this up the chain to the grand jury to see if they will indict on murder charges.

We will eventually get to hear the killer's side of things and see the entirety of the visual footage from the chambers.