Lecher County sheriff assassinated district judge nine days before he was to give a deposition in a ‘sex for favors ‘ corruption case against a former deputy in his office

District judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was shot dead in his chambers, after a short argument, by sheriff Mickey Stines, 44 , on Thursday afternoon

Sheriff Stines had entered the courtroom and asked to speak to Mullins privately before they headed to the judge’s office

After a short conversation, Stines reportedly stood up to lock the door and each man then took their cellphone out and handed it to the other

Killed: District judge Kevin Mullins, [photo], was shot dead in his office after a short argument by Letcher County sheriff Mickey Stines, according to police 

A Kentucky sheriff exchanged phones with a local judge before shooting him dead in his chambers, according to a new report. 
District judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was shot dead in his office after a short argument by Letcher County sheriff Mickey Stines, 44, inside the courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky on Thursday afternoon, according to police.
A motive for the shooting which happened around 3 PM local time, in the small community of about 1,700 people, remains unclear, but video from the judge’s office shows the two men looked at each other’s phones before Stines opened fire, sources told The Mountain Eagle.
Called to the scene, State Troopers found judge Kevin Mullins with multiple gunshot wounds. Mullins was pronounced dead at the scene.
The alleged shooter was arrested at the scene on one count of first-degree murder, without incident.

The shooter, Letcher County sheriff Mickey Stines, [photo], entered the courtroom in Whitesburg on Thursday afternoon and asked to speak to Judge Mullins privately before they headed to the judge’s chambers. An argument ensued, the pair exchanged phones, before Stines drew his weapon and shot Mullins repeatedly

Sheriff Stines had entered the courtroom and asked to speak to Mullins privately before they headed to the judge’s office.
After a short conversation, Stines reportedly stood up to lock the door and each man then took their cellphone out and handed it to the other, the local outlet reported. 
Stines then allegedly drew his weapon, walked around the judge’s desk and shot him repeatedly as Mullins fell to the floor.
The sheriff and the judge had apparently had lunch together with other court employees hours before the killing. 
‘We know that it was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired, that’s still things that we’re trying to get answers to,’ said Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart.
Stines was judge Mullins’ bailiff before he became sheriff in 2018. The father-of-two reportedly, was planning to retire when his term ended,instead he’s in jail facing charges related to first-degree murder. 

Staffers reveal that the sheriff Stines killed Judge Mullins in his chambers- nine days before he was expected to give a deposition on horrible sex crimes linked to one of Stine’s deputies who subsequently, was convicted of those crimes. Deputy Ben fields the plaintiff said used the judges office as a crashpad.

The Kentucky court chambers where Judge Kevin Mullins was allegedly gunned down by local sheriff Mickey Stines had a dark history of sex crimes with links to both the judge and the sheriff.
Stines was previously accused in a lawsuit of failing to investigate claims that one of his deputies had repeatedly sexually assaulted a woman in the same judge’s chambers. 
The former inmate, Sabrina Adkins, claims in a federal lawsuit that she could not afford to pay for an ankle monitor and did not want to return to Letcher County Jail. 
Deputy Ben Fields then coerced her into performing sexual favors so she could remain under home incarceration, according to a federal lawsuit filed in 2022. 
Fields was convicted of raping and sodomizing former inmate Adkins inside Mullins’ chamber, where he told her there were no cameras, WYMT Now, reports. Sentenced in January, he is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence.

Letcher County courthouse was closed Friday, a day after the shooting of Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers. That office allegedly had a dark history of sex crimes with links to both the judge and the sheriff

Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident. 
The fatal shooting sent shock waves through a tight-knit Appalachian town and county seat of government with about 1,700 residents located about 145 miles southeast of Lexington.
According to an electronically filed deposition notice, Sheriff Stines was expected to provide a deposition Monday related to the 2022 lawsuit with the former deputy sheriff Ben Fields, named as a defendant, and Adkins who alleged she was promised “favorable treatment for sexual favors,” – four days before Stine assassinated the judge. 
In 2002, Stines fired Fields, who is currently is serving seven years in prison after pleading guilty to taping the former inmate.

It remains unknown why Stines who was reportedly, was planning to retire when his term ended, would shoot his former boss. He was judge Mullins’ bailiff before he became sheriff in 2018

Lead county prosecutor Matt Butler described an outpouring of sympathy as he recused himself and his office from investigations in the shooting, citing social and family ties to Mullins.
‘We all know each other here. … Anyone from Letcher County would tell you that Judge Mullins and I married sisters and that we have children who are first cousins but act like siblings,’ Butler said in statement from his office.
‘For that reason, among others, I have already taken steps to recuse myself and my entire office.’
Letcher County’s judge-executive signed an order closing on Friday the county courthouse where the shooting took place.

15-year veteran judge, Kevin Mullins, [photo], previously was an assistant commonwealth attorney for nine and a half years, focusing on drug-related offenses. He gained recognition for his efforts to treat those with drug addiction rather than incarcerate them, a program he started in in 2010

Mullins has been a judge in the commonwealth for 15 years, after previously serving as an assistant commonwealth attorney for nine and a half years, focusing on drug-related offenses. Hes was appointed to serve as a judge in the state’s 47th district under former Governor Steve Beshear in 2009.
He oversaw juvenile matters, city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, traffic offenses, arraignments, felony probable cause hearings, claims involving $2,500 or less, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, voluntary and involuntary mental commitments and domestic violence cases, according to a Letcher County website.
He gained recognition for his efforts to treat those with drug addiction rather than incarcerate them, starting a program in 2010 that allowed inmates with substance abuse disorders to enroll in inpatient treatment as a condition of pretrial release.
Mickey Stines, meanwhile, was elected sheriff in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.