Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines, accused of fatally shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins in his courthouse chambers, plans to use an insanity defense in his upcoming trial. Stines, who has been indicted on one count of murder of a public official, pleaded not guilty in November.
The shooting occurred on September 19 in the judge's chambers, where the two men, reportedly friends for two decades, were present. The incident was captured on video, showing Judge Mullins attempting to take cover as Stines allegedly opened fire. Stines' attorney, Jeremy Bartley, intends to present expert evidence of a mental disease or defect, along with a defense of extreme emotional disturbance.
The motive for the alleged crime remains unclear, but it has been revealed that Stines was deposed in a civil lawsuit related to sexual abuse in the same month as the shooting. The lawsuit accuses Stines of "deliberate indifference in failing to adequately train and supervise" a former deputy involved in a sexual assault case. The civil litigation is still pending.
The trial is expected to address these complex issues, and the defense will likely focus on Stines' mental state at the time of the shooting.