A judge in a rural Kentucky county was shot and killed in his courthouse chambers Thursday, and the local sheriff was charged with murder, police said.
As reported by the Associated Press, the preliminary investigation indicates Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times following an argument inside the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police.
Stines Asked to Speak to Mullins Alone, Shot Him Moments Later
Stines, 43, allegedly walked into the judge's office, told court employees and others gathered outside that he needed to speak to Mullins alone. The two then went into the inner office, closed the door and shots rang out moments later. Stines then walked out with his hands up and surrendered.
Stines was taken into custody at the scene without incident, police said. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder. Multiple agencies responded after a 911 call was placed around 2:55 p.m. about shots being fired from inside the building. According to Kentucky State Police, Mullins was found with multiple gunshot wounds.
Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident. Letcher County's judge-executive signed an order closing the county courthouse on Friday. The courthouse is in Whitesburg, which is 146 miles (235 kilometers) southeast of Lexington.
Stines Fired a Deputy Sheriff Accused of Sexually Assaulting an Inmate in Judge Mullins Chambers
A motive behind the shooting is not yet known but according to the Courier Journal, Stines and Mullins were involved in a January 2022 lawsuit accusing a deputy sheriff of soliciting sexual favors from an inmate in exchange for home incarceration.
In a suit filed Jan. 31, Sabrina Adkins alleged that when she couldn't afford to pay for home detention, Deputy Ben Fields told her she would receive "favorable treatment for sexual favors," then met her six times late at night last year in a district judge's chambers where he forced her to have oral sex and sexual intercourse.
Turns out the alleged sexual assault took place in the chambers of Judge Mullins, according to the lawsuit. Fields allegedly asked Adkins to meet at the courthouse after dark and took her into a judge's chambers, telling her there were no cameras there.
He allegedly then took off her ankle bracelet and told her she would not have to pay any fees but could remain on home incarceration. The suit says he would put her bracelet on before court appearances.
Between late June and December, Fields met her there at night or in the early morning about six times and allegedly sexually abused her there.The suit was filed against Stines and the sheriff's department for allegedly failing to properly train Fields. Stines later fired Fields for misconduct.
A month later, another woman, Jennifer Hill, filed a similar lawsuit alleging Fields coerced her to have sex with him so she could remain on home incarceration rather than go back to jail.
