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

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Parsnip said:
Idk. But it’s not about “guilty” so much as liable. I have not looked at the codes there, but there are often requirements for public officials to adhere to certain moral standards. That could be at play. But we also learn d that the Sheriff was planning to retire. So…if he were fired because of certain moral expectations, maybe it’s possible that he could lose his pension and retirement benefits? Idk. All speculation.
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Well, yeah,I guess that could do it. He doesn’t have to worry about that anymore though. Free bed, meals, clothes, healthcare…
 
Motive and Intent are Different.
Kudzuu said:
.... Guilt is not the question. Motive is.
Click to expand...
snipped for focus @Kudzuu There's bound to be lots of discussion about motive on this thread, in soc media, MSM & elsewhere, but motive is not an element of what a prosecutor must prove in court for murder convictions. In trials, the jurors are usually curious about motive, so prosecutors often present evidence of a def't's motives, but KY. statute does not require it.

Motive, or the REASON the defendant commits a criminal act, can help explain a defendant’s actions or culpable mental state, but motive alone cannot act as a substitute for INTENT to cause the death.

A KY prosecutor's case must include evidence showing the elements of the MURDER offense as defined by KY. statute, which reads in part:
" 1) A person is guilty of murder when:
"(a) With intent to cause the death of another person, he causes the death of such person or of a third person..." *


________________
* For the sake of distinguishing "intent" to cause death as an element of murder, above I omitted some of that section, which may or may not be applicable to this case later.
KY. Murder statute
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19717
 
I'm definitely interested to see what comes out as to the reason. Keeping my opinions to myself for the moment but I have many thoughts. This is truly a strange case and we will more than likely get to watch the trial, which so rarely happens bc like another poster said, he didn't kill himself. It makes me think he also won't hold back on his motive and will fully cooperate. IMO
 
CrimeSlog said:
I'm definitely interested to see what comes out as to the reason. Keeping my opinions to myself for the moment but I have many thoughts. This is truly a strange case and we will more than likely get to watch the trial, which so rarely happens bc like another poster said, he didn't kill himself. It makes me think he also won't hold back on his motive and will fully cooperate. IMO
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I’m thinking he pleads guilty instead of bringing this to trial, jmo
 
nerosleuth said:
WYMT-TV also reported that Stines could face 20 to 50 years or life in prison if he is convicted on the murder charge.
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@nerosleuth Thanks for your post. :)

Looks like the death penalty for a capital offense like murder is still "on the books" in Kentucky.
^ https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law...d of a capital offense,five (25) years of his

But per March 2024 article ---
"Kentucky has not executed a person in more than 15 years. Attorney General Russell Coleman wants to change that, potentially opening the door for Kentucky’s 20-plus people on death row to be executed...."
"One man, Karu Gene White, killed three people in Breathitt County in 1979; he’s been on death row 44 years since being sentenced to death by execution...."
"... Marco Allen Chapman was the last person executed by the state. He was executed via lethal injection in 2008."
^ Ky. attorney general moves to resume executions

In quickly reviewing list of death row inmates in KY, seems the most recent ones (I think 3 of the ~ 20) there were sentenced in 2006.
^ Death Row Inmates - Department of Corrections
 
Being the sheriff, he could have planned out a "perfect murder", dispose of the body, evidence, and been a free man for much longer, if not forever. The way he committed this murder makes me think that he wants the motive, and his responsibility for the murder, to be known.
 
Elley Mae said:
How is it known that cell phones were exchanged if it was just the 2 of them and the door was locked.
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There appears to have been a surveillance camera in the judge's chambers. It sounds unusual, but we know that a deputy was charged with forcing two women to have sex in there. My guess is that the camera was installed at some point after that.
 
“It’s just unimaginable. I don’t know what happened. Or what the reason was. I know Kentucky State Police are investigating it, and I feel confident that they will hopefully provide some answers on why. Maybe that will be able to help us all heal. The entire community, we’re all just in shock. They both were well liked.”

Watts said the two worked closely together. As Mullins started a program to help inmates with substance abuse disorders, and Stines helped drive those people to and from appointments. Which makes the situation even harder for him to wrap his mind around.

www.wkyt.com

Friend and colleague asking why after Kentucky sheriff accused of murdering judge

“We’ve not only lost our sheriff and district judge, but I’ve lost two personal friends I worked with daily.”
www.wkyt.com www.wkyt.com
 
MassGuy said:
There appears to have been a surveillance camera in the judge's chambers. It sounds unusual, but we know that a deputy was charged with forcing two women to have sex in there. My guess is that the camera was installed at some point after that.
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Did the Judge know there was a camera(s) without audio monitoring his chambers or were they installed without his knowledge during/after the initial allegations about the deputy?

I find it hard to believe that a bailiff would use a Judge’s chambers for his sexual assaults without the Judge being aware of it. Sorry, JMO.

I am not necessarily condoning what the Sheriff did, but twice I have been in fear for my life because of the power of small town “politics”. When you believe - especially if you have actual knowledge of things “people in power” can get away with - your fear is like that of a cornered feral cat and there is no way out except a fight for survival.
 
PROPOSED ORDER: GRANTED

This matter having come before the Court upon the joint motion of Plaintiffs
ADKINS and ESTATE OF HILL and Defendants, BEN FIELDS, Individually and
in his Official capacity as a Deputy Sheriff with the Letcher County Sheriff’s Department,
EASTERN KENTUCKY CORRECTIONS SERVICES INC. and MICKEY STINES,
LETCHER COUNTY SHERIFF by and through counsel, to stay this matter and amend the
scheduling order [R. 90] previously entered in this matter due to the tragic events yesterday
afternoon and the yet unknown exchange between Sheriff Stines and Judge Mullins which may
be relevant to this matter.

Additionally, the parties seek to extend due to the recently made
supplemental disclosures by Plaintiffs which may lead to the need to conduct additional
discovery.

 
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al66pine said:
Motive and Intent are Different.

snipped for focus @Kudzuu There's bound to be lots of discussion about motive on this thread, in soc media, MSM & elsewhere, but motive is not an element of what a prosecutor must prove in court for murder convictions. In trials, the jurors are usually curious about motive, so prosecutors often present evidence of a def't's motives, but KY. statute does not require it.

Motive, or the REASON the defendant commits a criminal act, can help explain a defendant’s actions or culpable mental state, but motive alone cannot act as a substitute for INTENT to cause the death.

A KY prosecutor's case must include evidence showing the elements of the MURDER offense as defined by KY. statute, which reads in part:
" 1) A person is guilty of murder when:
"(a) With intent to cause the death of another person, he causes the death of such person or of a third person..." *


________________
* For the sake of distinguishing "intent" to cause death as an element of murder, above I omitted some of that section, which may or may not be applicable to this case later.
KY. Murder statute
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19717
Click to expand...
IANAL…. yet wouldn’t the act of simply raising a loaded firearm and shooting at a victim once include the ‘intent’ in a case like this? And add seven more shots IIUC. Another question that might arise is whether the victim also may have had a loaded firearm.

And @al66pine this isn’t directed at you, just using this as a reference for the question.

And this does not take any possible elements of motive into consideration. MOO
 
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