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

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The Commonwealth Attorney for Letcher County, Matt Butler, had only recently been appointed (in July) to replace Edison Banks. He is now running against Banks who seems to have changed his mind about retiring. Matt Butler for Commonwealth’s Attorney, 47th Circuit


Butler was the judge's brother-in-law and is in charge of prosecuting felonies in the county. He has to be re-elected this year so he hit the ground running prosecuting some major cases. I'm wondering if something about those cases was personal to the sheriff.

There is some seriously bad blood between Butler and Banks. Stines' office arrested Banks's CNA for meth and fentanyl possession.


what is a CNA?
 
I expect the town will be divided into:
* people who were in on whatever happened but now pretend they were not
* people who were duped and are angry about it
* people who were duped and still believe in "the great guys" and these folks will be angry at anyone suggesting otherwise.

Or, it all will be swept under a rug with a big ol' heavy piece of furniture put on top that everyone agrees should never be moved to reveal what's under it.

jmo
IMO I feel like Canton, Massachusetts has a similar divide amongst their townspeople.
 
what is a CNA?
CNA is Certified Nurse Assistant.

I recommend reading the full MSM link. Much to digest there. Retiring (?) Banks had a heart attack in 2021 and was on sick leave for at least 18 of the last 37 months. He needed 24 hour homecare and hired a CNA. In 2023, Banks CNA was cited for speeding while driving Banks vehicle, and was then arrested for trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and other drug-related charges.

For reasons unknown to Sheriff Stines, a Perry County Judge dropped the charges after a special prosecutor failed to answer a motion by the defense that the evidence be suppressed. Stines could not get an answer as to why the Commonwealth and defense filed a joint Motion to dismiss the case.

Commonwealth Attorney Butler appointed in July was brother-in-law to Judge Mullins. Their wives are sisters.

7/3/24 -- Butler appointed to replace Edison G. Banks II - The Mountain Eagle
 
Vinnie Politan investigates the tragic shooting death of the Honorable Kevin Mullins who was executed in his chambers by the elected Letcher County Sheriff, Mickey Stines. The crime has shaken the community and confounded the nation. Why would he kill the judge?

 
I'm not seeing anything in your link about hiring private security for courts.

(1) In any county, if the sheriff fails or refuses to provide certified peace officers or certified security officers for the provision of security services to any court of the Court of Justice, then the Administrative Office of the Courts shall contract with a county, urban-county, charter county, consolidated local government, combined local government agency, or an agency of a city government to provide security services to any court of the Court of Justice in the county where the sheriff has failed or refused to provide such services.

 
what is a CNA?
Certified Nursing Assistant. Banks is in poor health
 
CNA is Certified Nurse Assistant.

I recommend reading the full MSM link. Much to digest there. Retiring (?) Banks had a heart attack in 2021 and was on sick leave for at least 18 of the last 37 months. He needed 24 hour homecare and hired a CNA. In 2023, Banks CNA was cited for speeding while driving Banks vehicle, and was then arrested for trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and other drug-related charges.

For reasons unknown to Sheriff Stines, a Perry County Judge dropped the charges after a special prosecutor failed to answer a motion by the defense that the evidence be suppressed. Stines could not get an answer as to why the Commonwealth and defense filed a joint Motion to dismiss the case.

Commonwealth Attorney Butler appointed in July was brother-in-law to Judge Mullins. Their wives are sisters.


7/3/24 -- Butler appointed to replace Edison G. Banks II - The Mountain Eagle
BBM - hmmmm
 
I mean…. John Doe shoots and kills Jane Doe. Jane is dead, but criminal proceedings continue without Jane, and thank god, because then all killers would never be charged since they can’t face the accuser in court…. I know it’s extreme but trying to prove a point. Moo
That's what I thought of first too, BUT then I remembered that in those cases, the defendant's accuser is not the (murdered) victim, but the STATE! (Or Commonwealth if applicable) For example, they name the cases The State VS. Joe Blow (defendant)

It's always them vs. the State, so the victim being deceased and unable to face them in court never infringes on their right to face their accuser. The accuser is the State.
 
Garbage article. Basically they took the rumors we’ve all seen, then asked police if they were true, to which police gave the boilerplate answer that everything is on the table.
SBMFF

If the DM was smart they'd follow the rules were have here at SW and wouldn't base an article they write on rumor. In fact, they'd make a more credible article if they ditched the rumor mill and came here to WS to gather their information. ;) LOL JMO!
 
MOO, but I believe that if there's enough evidence that someone was raped, you probably could prosecute even if the victim is dead. I think with crimes like rape, you run into trouble because unless it's reported right away, it's usually he said/she said. If the victim is dead, there is no "she said" so unless there's DNA evidence or a rape kit, unlikely you get a conviction. That's not the same for murder. In murder, you can place the perp at the scene where someone was killed. You'll have an autopsy or some evidence that a homicide occurred. With a rape, you can place an individual at the victim's home or office, but you can't prove they had sex or that they had non-consensual sex (without a rape kit) unless the victim is alive to testify.

I don't actually think it's about facing the accuser so much as it is above the type of crime and likely lack of evidence. MOO
No, the right to face your accuser applies no matter what the crime is, but the accuser in a murder case is not the victim who was killed, but the State (or Commonwealth). As in The State vs Mickey Stines (or whoever is the Defendant).
 
I agree it's extreme and an invalid interpretation of the Sixth Amendment. First, when you murder and/or eliminate the witness, you forfeit your right to confront your accuser. Second, there's no comparing murdering your accuser to 3rd degree rape allegation, a Class D felony, where the victim later causes their own death before the defendant's trial. MOO.
Murderers actually don't forfeit the right to face their accuser. In criminal cases, the State is the plaintiff (the "accuser"), so the death of the victim, by any means, doesn't interfere with the case going to court.
 

CNA is Certified Nurse Assistant.

I recommend reading the full MSM link. Much to digest there. Retiring (?) Banks had a heart attack in 2021 and was on sick leave for at least 18 of the last 37 months. He needed 24 hour homecare and hired a CNA. In 2023, Banks CNA was cited for speeding while driving Banks vehicle, and was then arrested for trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and other drug-related charges.

For reasons unknown to Sheriff Stines, a Perry County Judge dropped the charges after a special prosecutor failed to answer a motion by the defense that the evidence be suppressed. Stines could not get an answer as to why the Commonwealth and defense filed a joint Motion to dismiss the case.

Commonwealth Attorney Butler appointed in July was brother-in-law to Judge Mullins. Their wives are sisters.

7/3/24 -- Butler appointed to replace Edison G. Banks II - The Mountain Eagle

Banks' reply to some accusations (October 2023) - Just backstory info for anyone who wants to read.

 
Lots of intersecting spider webs in this County. Sort of sounds like the AG’s Office needs to look into local government at all all levels.

I’m getting another “good old boys” vibe.
 
No, the right to face your accuser applies no matter what the crime is, but the accuser in a murder case is not the victim who was killed, but the State (or Commonwealth). As in The State vs Mickey Stines (or whoever is the Defendant).

Pretty sure it's the state in criminal rape cases too. MOO.
 

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