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

[Friday Fan]

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.

The judge had the daughter's number in his phone. This means that he had likely spoken with her previously.


But I don't know how he makes the leap that "they're trying to kidnap my wife and my kid" and shooting the judge until he was obviously dead. (4 or 5 times) He shot him twice and shot him three more times until he stopped moving.
Stines wanted the judge dead.

Obviously there is no evidence that his wife and kid are being kidnapped.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/01/us/kentucky-judge-murder-stines-hearing/index.html

It goes to show you, the dangers involved when "settling things as friends and/or friend of the bench". MOO Stine was afforded the privilege because he was the sheriff.

 

[Elley Mae]

Retired Letcher County sheriff’s deputy Eugene Slone was heading out the door of his eastern Kentucky home Thursday when his phone buzzed.

“When they told me what had happened, I thought it was a dream,” Slone, 54, told The Washington Post. “I couldn’t believe it was real.”

Slone, the retired deputy, lost a race for sheriff to Stines in 2018 after he was laid off from the office. After the election, another former deputy sued Stines, accusing him of retaliating against her by refusing to rehire her from a layoff because she had supported Slone’s candidacy. The lawsuit was resolved in Stines’s favor.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/09/20/kentucky-judge-mullins-shooting-sheriff-stines/

“Some loved him, some didn’t like him,” Slone said of the sheriff. “Some say he picked and choosed who he busted.”

 

[GoBuckeyes]

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

I heard the lawyer refer to first degree manslaughter at the hearing.

 

[Simply Southern]

Friday.. His wife and daughter have not seen him , and they requested to meet with him he refused the visit. I dont understand . Nothing to do with Lawyers or his defense. His wife and child have been refused by him to visit.

Visits are recorded and video taped. Moo...he's communicating through his attorney. They certainly seemed supportive in court.

 

[Angelcat13]

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

I agree. Like I said, this thought-process does not make it right.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

According to court preceddings he was sitting at first , wonder why he fled into that corner?

I don't think he had many options, maybe? Through Stines, over the desk, or into that corner?? It's hard to tell how someone would react in that situation. I don't think he had any idea that things would go that sideways.

 

[fsngruv]

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

Welcome!!!

And yes, thank you for sharing your thoughts, I have been thinking the same myself but you have worded it so eloquently! Thanks for you post! I think you have a great working theory!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

The judge had the daughter's number in his phone. This means that he had likely spoken with her previously.


But I don't know how he makes the leap that "they're trying to kidnap my wife and my kid" and shooting the judge until he was obviously dead. (4 or 5 times) He shot him twice and shot him three more times until he stopped moving.
Stines wanted the judge dead.

Obviously there is no evidence that his wife and kid are being kidnapped.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/01/us/kentucky-judge-murder-stines-hearing/index.html

It goes to show you, the dangers involved when "settling things as friends and/or friend of the bench". MOO Stine was afforded the privilege because he was the sheriff.

IF Stines was convinced the Judge was "conniving and sneaking" to remove the wife and child out of the family home, Stine could construe that as "kidnapping"

 

[Live_and_Learn]

I've been looking online at courthouse facility planning, trying to understand typical "judge's chambers" configurations. Is it possible the "judge's chambers" could encompass a suite of rooms similar to the attached example? Then, where the video takes place could be a side office like the Clerk/Work Area on the lower right? (Source: Judge's Chambers)

 

[Kudzuu]

That has to be a supply closet. No one can work with barely any room between wall and table/desk??


I see the backpack.
What were those figure posters on the wall?

Looks like a quilt of coal miner's going to work.

 

[bestill]

Here are the chambers from a different (clearer) view

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

View attachment 534994

This looks much larger than in the video. Thank you for posting it.