Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines filed a motion to dismiss his murder indictment in the shooting death of District Judge Kevin Mullins, according to court records reported by Kentucky media.
Stines has been held without bond since his arrest following the September 2024 fatal gunfire inside Mullins’ judicial chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse.
Stines’ defense team alleged that the prosecution mishandled grand jury proceedings.
The Context
The new filing could spur heightened scrutiny of the integrity of grand jury processes in Kentucky, as the outcome of the motion may set precedent for future handling of similar indictments.
The fatal shooting of Mullins shocked the local legal community and raised concerns about courthouse safety.
What To Know
Prosecutors charged Stines, 44, with murder in the killing of Mullins, 54. Surveillance footage presented in court showed Stines inside Mullins’ chambers on September 19, 2024, where Mullins was later found fatally shot.
Testimony from Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper confirmed the shooting was captured on video. Stines was arrested at the scene and told officers, “they’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”
Defense attorney Jeremy Bartley filed a motion on Wednesday alleging prosecutors withheld information from the grand jury and intentionally failed to record proceedings.
Bartley contended that Kentucky law requires all grand jury testimony to be recorded and that a failure to do so justifies dismissing the indictment. Prosecutors told the defense that their meeting with the grand jury before testimony was solely to obtain subpoenas and contained no testimony.
Bartley disputed this, arguing, “While the Commonwealth may classify that information as something other than ‘testimony,’ it clearly related to the nature of the investigation.”
The defense further accused Stamper of not fully addressing grand jurors’ questions, especially regarding Stines’ mental health and a separate federal lawsuit naming Stines as a defendant. Bartley said incomplete testimony may have influenced the decision to indict or the charge selected.
Bartley told Newsweek that the defense attorneys “do not comment on motions pending before the court.” Newsweek also reached out to special prosecutor Jackie Steele for comment.
Stines is scheduled to undergo a psychiatric evaluation this month, with the defense preparing to pursue an insanity or extreme emotional disturbance defense.
Stines remains in custody without bond. His attorneys requested a bond hearing to be set after his pending psychiatric evaluation. They cited “strong ties to the community, lack of criminal record, and family support” as grounds for possible release, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
What People Are Saying
Steele, in comments to the Herald-Leader: “We will be filing a response in due time.”
Bartley, in the motion: “Regardless of how it is labeled or whether it was sworn or unsworn, the information provided to the grand jury constitutes testimony and should have been recorded.”
What Happens Next
The judge has yet to rule on the motion to dismiss the indictment and request for bond following Stines’ psychiatric evaluation. Prosecutors indicated they will submit a formal response to the motion.
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