The sheriff charged with murder in the shooting of a rural Kentucky judge in his courthouse chambers was accused in a federal lawsuit of failing to investigate allegations that one of his deputies repeatedly sexually abused a woman in the same judge’s chambers.
The preliminary investigation indicates that Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times on Thursday following an argument inside the courthouse.
Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident.
Just what the two men were arguing about wasn’t immediately made clear.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his office will collaborate with a commonwealth’s attorney in the region as special prosecutors in the criminal case.
Mullins, 54, was hit multiple times in the shooting, state police said. Stines, 43, was charged with one count of first-degree murder.
Lots of other rumors regarding motive.
Among others several of you messaged me about an allegation that the judge had committed a sex crime involving the sheriff’s daughter.
It is apparently all over social media.
At this point, there is NO evidence of that — not confirmed or proven at this time.
But once the sheriff gets a lawyer and answers the charges we’ll see what he says about motive.
MORE TO COME
