In a horrifying act that has left a community in shock, a Kentucky district court judge was brutally gunned down in his own chambers on Thursday, with the local sheriff being the shooter.
Judge Kevin Mullins was discovered in his chambers around 2:55 p.m. in Whitesburg. He had multiple gunshot wounds. Despite frantic attempts to save him, Mullins was pronounced dead at the scene. In an even more staggering development, Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines was arrested and charged with the murder of Judge Mullins. The shocking allegations claim Stines shot the judge after a heated argument in the courthouse. Stines, who was taken into custody without resistance.
“This afternoon, a district judge in Letcher County was senselessly murdered in his own chambers,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated, expressing his dismay over the spiraling violence. “Our world is plagued by too much violence, and I pray for a path to a better future.”
Just three days before the murder, Stines was accused in a lawsuit of neglecting claims that a local deputy was raping women under house arrest, Fox News confirms. On Monday, the 43-year-old was deposed in the lawsuit filed by two women, one alleging the deputy sexually assaulted her in the judge’s chambers where the shooting occurred. The lawsuit accuses Stines of failing to properly train and supervise the deputy. It’s unknown if this deposition was related to the killing.
The tight-knit community of Letcher County, about 215 miles southeast of Louisville, is reeling from the brutal attack. The Kentucky Attorney General’s office pledged a thorough investigation into the case, vowing to seek justice. Judge Mullins, who had served as a district judge since 2009, was deeply involved in overseeing a range of legal matters, from juvenile cases to city ordinances.
