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.

 

[Live_and_Learn]

Frivolous - Apologies
The only thing I can come up with for the yellow thing is an older version of a kid's ride-on excavator. Surely that is not it.

 

[Wallendo]

Many have spoken about this being a small town and everybody knowing everything. If that is the case, the "sex for lenient treatment" scam should have been well known. Since young women don't commit most of the violent crimes in small town, it is quite likely that most, if not all, of the female victims were incarcerated for drug-related crimes. The judge seems to have had a special interest in drug treatment, and many in the community spoke highly of this. Maybe this is a coincidence, maybe it is not. Did women who "agreed" to coerced sexual activity get better deals in court? Did they get preferential treatment form the sheriff? Maybe the sheriff and judge knew nothing about these events.

It is just hard to imagine that word did not get out around town that having sex with the deputy might lead to better treatment.

I do not know any of the people involved in this case. I do know that 20 years ago, I thought Bill Cosby was an all-around nice guy.

 

[Friday Fan]

Frivolous - Apologies
The only thing I can come up with for the yellow thing is an older version of a kid's ride-on excavator. Surely that is not it.
View attachment 535081

I'm thinking it might be a dolly for moving records around. You can see enlarged image here.

https://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/bmprb5/picture293385934/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/240919EKY_Judge_Shooting.jpg

Although the lever thing is interesting, I don't know if it's attached to the thing on wheels.

Or it's possible that it's kid's toy. (Crane as pictured0 But that doesn't seem like the kind of toy, you would see in a judge's chamber. (But you never know. It is a "small town") He did handle juvenile matters.

District Judge of the 47th Judicial District​

District Court is the court of limited jurisdiction and handles juvenile matters, city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, felony probable cause hearings, small claims involving $2,500 or less, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, voluntary and involuntary mental commitments and cases relating to domestic violence and abuse.

Honorable Kevin R. Mullins
156 Main Street, Suite 101 C
Whitesburg, KY 41858

(606) 633-4222​

​

Letcher County

www.letchercounty.ky.gov

​

 

[tlcya]

from the hearing transcript so kindly provided by @Allabouttrial

DEFENSE - And can you describe for us what happened immediately prior to the clip that we saw?

DETECTIVE - Sheriff Stines' uses his telephone to make some phone calls, he then borrows Judge Mullens' cell phone, and appears to make a call on that, and that led to what you just saw.
[snip]
DEFENSE - Again, based upon your conversation with the officers, are you aware of any recent content that was up and could have been relevant at the time of their discussion?

DETECTIVE - I was told that Sheriff Stines had tried to call his daughter, and he had tried to call his daughter from the Judge's phone also.
[snip]
DEFENSE - And have officers confirmed that the Sheriff's daughter's phone number was on Judge Mullens' phone?

DETECTIVE - Yes.

DEFENSE - So that number had been called from Judge Mullens' phone?

DETECTIVE - Yes.
[snip]
DEFENSE - Do you intend to intended obtain records for her cell phone number?

DETECTIVE - Possibly, yes.

DEFENSE - Do you believe that that would be soon that you'll do that?

DETECTIVE - Could be, yes.

DEFENSE - Had you ever intended to do that or did you just... respond to my question?

DETECTIVE - Well, the call should be on the Judge's records too and she's made statements about what occurred during those conversations.
Kentucky - Judge killed, sheriff arrested in Letcher County courthouse shooting - Sep. 19, 2024

I am still not confident the daughter of Stines' phone number was a stored contact on the victim's phone. Her phone number may have been "on" the phone because it was the last one dialed (by the sheriff) but that doesn't mean it was a stored contact per se. I think it is being assumed that because her number was visible on the judge's phone as the last call made moments before the shooting that judge Mullins "had her number in his phone".

I am waiting for this to be clarified still.

 

[Harriett_Eva]

Forgot to link our regional policies on inmates not being able to receive calls around here … here are examples of state and a county

Florida prison inmates are not permitted to receive telephone calls. Inmates may place collect calls to approved numbers.

No. You cannot telephone an inmate, but you can call the facility with a phone number that can be given to the inmate to call you.

Main vendors are GTL and Securus

and it is really expensive in my opinion with lots of fees-

NACDL - Detention Facilities Communication Companies

The two largest detention facilities communications companies are Global Tel*Link (GTL) and Securus Technologies. According to an analysis performed by the Prison Policy Initiative, as of 2018, GTL and Securus accounted for about 83% of the market, with GTL occupying 43% of the market and...

www.nacdl.org

 

[Harriett_Eva]

FYI inmate communication has become big business
The $1.4 Billion Prison Communications Business Faces New Regulations

And FCC is getting involved
Incarcerated People’s Communications Services

 

[RANCH]

from the hearing transcript so kindly provided by @Allabouttrial

DEFENSE - And can you describe for us what happened immediately prior to the clip that we saw?

DETECTIVE - Sheriff Stines' uses his telephone to make some phone calls, he then borrows Judge Mullens' cell phone, and appears to make a call on that, and that led to what you just saw.
[snip]
DEFENSE - Again, based upon your conversation with the officers, are you aware of any recent content that was up and could have been relevant at the time of their discussion?

DETECTIVE - I was told that Sheriff Stines had tried to call his daughter, and he had tried to call his daughter from the Judge's phone also.
[snip]
DEFENSE - And have officers confirmed that the Sheriff's daughter's phone number was on Judge Mullens' phone?

DETECTIVE - Yes.

DEFENSE - So that number had been called from Judge Mullens' phone?

DETECTIVE - Yes.
[snip]
DEFENSE - Do you intend to intended obtain records for her cell phone number?

DETECTIVE - Possibly, yes.

DEFENSE - Do you believe that that would be soon that you'll do that?

DETECTIVE - Could be, yes.

DEFENSE - Had you ever intended to do that or did you just... respond to my question?

DETECTIVE - Well, the call should be on the Judge's records too and she's made statements about what occurred during those conversations.
Kentucky - Judge killed, sheriff arrested in Letcher County courthouse shooting - Sep. 19, 2024

I am still not confident the daughter of Stines' phone number was a stored contact on the victim's phone. Her phone number may have been "on" the phone because it was the last one dialed (by the sheriff) but that doesn't mean it was a stored contact per se. I think it is being assumed that because her number was visible on the judge's phone as the last call made moments before the shooting that judge Mullins "had her number in his phone".

I am waiting for this to be clarified still.

Good point.

It would have been helpful if the defense attorney had asked the detective if the phone number was found in the phones contacts or only as a recent call. JMO.

 

[chaz]

Frivolous - Apologies
The only thing I can come up with for the yellow thing is an older version of a kid's ride-on excavator. Surely that is not it.
View attachment 535081

I think you are right. I blew up the picture

 

[tlcya]

Good point.

It would have been helpful if the defense attorney had asked the detective if the phone number was found in the phones contacts or only as a recent call. JMO.

in addition nothing was clear from the hearing that supports the theory that the sheriff tried daughter from his phone and he wasn't answered. I know that has been theorized but at the hearing all we learned was that the sheriff made several calls on his own phone and then made a call to his daughter using the judge's phone.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1067310441593150

this reporter for court tv when discussing the hearing states "now we know that her cell phone was stored in the judge's phone" (2:46 mark) but do we? Or is that an assumption that has now grown legs? Because that is not what I heard. It may turn out to be true. But I can't take that on faith. The investigator did not say that. Defense attorney was angling for it, but didn't get the response he wanted. MOO

ETA she also states that the defense wanted to know what those witnesses overheard from inside that chamber. This suggests witnesses did hear something from inside the chambers but the investigator stated they did not, except for one lady who said she thought she heard someone say "help". So I think many are playing fast and lose with the known facts and inserting their own.