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

[Vegasgrl]

Here are the chambers from a different (clearer) view

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article293386104.html

View attachment 534994

A lot has been expressed regarding this sparse office space. I agree. It's incredibly small if this is the judge's permanent, main office. But, wasn't he meeting with four people in there just before he was killed? Only two chairs? No folding chairs against a wall? During cases, surely he meets with more than two people in chambers? It looks so temporary and cold.

 

[Dotta]

The office almost looks like a hidden picture page…

There is also an upside down blue kind of sign propped against a desk next to the window.

 

[Vegasgrl]

Are all the cups for use as disposable ashtrays? I’ve seen this done with a little water in them. He has two cups in front of him. One coffee, one ashtray? Is that a silver-colored lighter as well? And a can of air freshener? The office almost looks like a hidden picture page…

Is the window open? I can't tell. Just wondering if he was okay with this crappy office because he knew he could sneak a cigarette now and then (if that's a cigarette).

 

[Knox]

What is the yellow thing on the floor? It retracts under the desk when Stines fires the final shots in the video.

 

[Friday Fan]

There is also an upside down blue kind of sign propped against a desk next to the window.

That appears to be a campaign sign. Judge was re-elected in 2022. The sheriff was re-elected in 2022. (Sign looks nice and clean and unused)

Now in Texas judges are not supposed to be openly campaigning for other candidates and putting signs in their yard (except their own) but I don't know about KY.

 

[sunspun]

The chambers do look bigger now that we see this whole view of it, but still look so temporary somehow, especially, because if I recall, the courthouse itself is very nicely done, nicer than many of us expected for such a small town courthouse, according to comments I remember reading on the video when the interior courtroom was first shown. Compared to the nicer courthouse, the chambers don't look like much, like not much thought went into the decoration or interior design (or lack of it).

I just had a thought. Could it be possible that this chambers we see in the video really is just a temporary room, because his actual chambers are sealed off at the moment, due to having been the scene of the crime in what is still, I believe, an ongoing investigation? That might make sense, but I still doubt it. I think it just looks like their interior design budget was spent mostly on the parts of the courthouse that more people (the public citizens) would see.

 

[Chimera]

What is the yellow thing on the floor? It retracts under the desk when Stines fires the final shots in the video.

I thought it was Mullin's foot that started to extend outward, and then drew back in under the desk ?

Graphic :


While in his death throes ?
Omo.

 

[Angelcat13]

lol respectfully, I cannot stand the victim blaming which feels weirdly cultural in this case. It’s happening everywhere I look and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I’m waiting for more facts of actual wrongdoing before I denounce a murdered, elected city official.

I think a lot of what is being said about the Judge is, in a way, protecting ourselves from what seems so unfathomable. Many people may identify more with the Sheriff than with the Judge - completely aside from this incident. Most people are more likely to identify with the Sheriff as he seems like a regular guy, family man, well-liked & respected in the community.

The Judge may have all of these same qualities, but he doesn’t come across as much like a regular guy. And this is assumed by many because a judge is usually perceived as being more intelligent, powerful, priviledged, wealthy, etc - even if they are really “a regular guy”.

It’s hard to imagine that a “regular guy” - someone like us, someone we know or identify with, etc - would suddenly snap for no reason and execute his friend for 20 years! So we find a reason to blame the victim since if was THEIR fault they were a victim, then there’s a REASON we WON’T be a victim.

I am NOT saying this is right, fair, etc. But I can understand why victim-blaming is so unfortunately common.

 

[LadyL]

Here are the chambers from a different (clearer) view

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article293386104.html

View attachment 534994

oh well that looks better than the other images we've seen - more space and the chairs look different - I thought they were folding metal chairs

 

[vls12345]

lol respectfully, I cannot stand the victim blaming which feels weirdly cultural in this case. It’s happening everywhere I look and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I’m waiting for more facts of actual wrongdoing before I denounce a murdered, elected city official.

This. Thank you.

 

[vls12345]

The victim & his family.

MSN

P.S. Saw this in the article & since we had mentioned the miner quilt hanging in Judge Mullins' office, here's a miner that knew him: "In 2008, Mullins officiated Randy Billiter’s wedding. The 61-year-old retired coal miner met the judge the previous year, and was struck by how kind he was. “He was always the type of guy that’d help you,” recalled Billiter. “If he could help you, he’d help you.”

 

[RANCH]

I think a lot of what is being said about the Judge is, in a way, protecting ourselves from what seems so unfathomable. Many people may identify more with the Sheriff than with the Judge - completely aside from this incident. Most people are more likely to identify with the Sheriff as he seems like a regular guy, family man, well-liked & respected in the community.

The Judge may have all of these same qualities, but he doesn’t come across as much like a regular guy. And this is assumed by many because a judge is usually perceived as being more intelligent, powerful, priviledged, wealthy, etc - even if they are really “a regular guy”.

It’s hard to imagine that a “regular guy” - someone like us, someone we know or identify with, etc - would suddenly snap for no reason and execute his friend for 20 years! So we find a reason to blame the victim since if was THEIR fault they were a victim, then there’s a REASON we WON’T be a victim.

I am NOT saying this is right, fair, etc. But I can understand why victim-blaming is so unfortunately common.

So you're talking about personal bias affecting how people view the victim in this case. JMO.

 

[sunspun]

I searched for miner's quilt, and apparently, they're a popular thing. On Etsy & Pinterest, etc., I found lots of them that look just like the one in his office. Most seem to be handmade, and I saw the patterns for sale also. One of them called it a "coal-miner's prayer quilt".

 

[worm]

I wish we could hear the jail calls from the sheriff.

 

[Angelcat13]

So you're talking about personal bias affecting how people view the victim in this case. JMO.

I wouldn’t say it’s bias against the victim. I feel like it’s more like trying to understand what seems so inexplicable and to make yourself mentally feel safe.

 

[RANCH]

I wouldn’t say it’s bias against the victim. I feel like it’s more like trying to understand what seems so inexplicable and to make yourself mentally feel safe.

I'm not sure what you mean by mentally feeling safe.

 

[sunshineray]

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

What in the world did he mean by someone was "trying to kidnap his wife and kid"!? Was it said in the context of being an analogy? What would be that analogy?

"Stamper testified Stines requested to see the judge’s phone and then attempted to call his daughter from Mullins’s phone."

Stines tried to call his daughter's phone from the judge's phone (did the judge have her number in his phone!?) and seconds later stood up and shot him dead. And LE hasn't confiscated the daughter's phone yet!? Why ever not?

"Stamper testified based on preliminary information, the judge arranged a private meeting in his chambers with Stines."

It was the judge who asked Stines in for a private meeting in his chambers?

As you can see, I'm totally confused by this article. Wow, just Wow.

 

[Angelcat13]

I'm not sure what you mean by mentally feeling safe.

Convincing yourself you won’t be a victim because you feel there is something different between you and the victim and that that “something” factored into their being a victim.

It doesn’t have to be a REAL thing - for example, there may he a rumor that the victim was a bully even when he was actually the kindest person you could meet. But if someone PERCEIVES this to be true, even if it isn’t, I can easily see how that could be “personal bias” against the victim.

BUT… we might also try to differentiate ourselves from the victim for a non-personal reason - such as the victim lived/worked/was in a particular place/area we have never been, had a particular job that put them at risk (LE, armored car person, small-business and/or 24 hr retail stores, etc. This would be more like a non-personal-bias way of victim-blaming.

 

[RANCH]

Convincing yourself you won’t be a victim because you feel there is something different between you and the victim and that that “something” factored into their being a victim.

It doesn’t have to be a REAL thing - for example, there may he a rumor that the victim was a bully even when he was actually the kindest person you could meet. But if someone PERCEIVES this to be true, even if it isn’t, I can easily see how that could be “personal bias” against the victim.

BUT… we might also try to differentiate ourselves from the victim for a non-personal reason - such as the victim lived/worked/was in a particular place/area we have never been, had a particular job that put them at risk (LE, armored car person, small-business and/or 24 hr retail stores, etc. This would be more like a non-personal-bias way of victim-blaming.

Me being different than the victim in this case doesn't make him any less of a victim. JMO.

 

[Harriett_Eva]

I’m new to posting and have followed many cases over the years- but just now posting on this perplexing case- all my own opinions and thinking out-loud — given what is public information so far, and the nature of the intimate crimes committed in the judges office, abuse of power in the justice process in the county, the judge oversaw juvenile cases, and offered diversion programs for drug offenders, and that there were rumors of both possible corruption and that the sheriff’s daughter might be somehow involved…

Putting the pieces together, a scenario I have not seen (I’m not in social media so this could be out there or a stupid question,)

but hypothetically what if a daughter got caught up in something, drugs perhaps, and a friend of the family, a judge offered to help her “fix” the problem and she got in over her head, and then a father found out that his friend had gone to the dark side and was exploiting (or allowing the exploitation of) youthful offenders- and the father realizing this, then realizes that his own daughter was also exploited and in a fit of rage snapped and shoots his friend…

no evidence that this happened- all my opinion- but where I come from it’s much more worrying when someone gets enraged to the point of cold and calm vs all loud and hysterical - MS definitely seems to have wanted to make sure that the judge was dead and something on the phone seems to be the triggering event-

Nothing justifies executing someone and not blaming the victim however it might explain some of the odd variables- as in the south “he needed killing…” is still a cultural thing…

I’m my opinion, while there are reports of his behavior changing in recent weeks and not seeking reelection, and quiet at lunch - those could be preoccupations with a family issue or finding out unsavory information and trying to figure out how to get to the bottom of something and not DV or a MH breakdown- there wasn’t known irrational wild behavior- right up to the shooting itself

Just thinking out loud MOO