WEST LIBERTY, Ky. (Court TV) — Choked sobs were the only sound in court as a silent video showed the moment a Kentucky judge was shot and killed in his chambers at the courthouse.
Surveillance video appears to show Shawn Stines shooting a judge in his chambers. (Court TV)
Shawn Stines, who resigned from his position as sheriff of Letcher County on Monday, is charged with the first-degree murder of Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins. Stines has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper was the first witness to take the stand at Tuesday’s probable cause hearing and testified to video that showed the deadly shooting. The silent video is only a few seconds long but appears to show Stines come into Mullins’ chambers with a gun in his outstretched arm. The judge leaps from his chair onto the ground, and Stines appears to chase him around the desk, firing multiple times. Before leaving the room, Stines appears to walk over and fire another shot beneath the desk where the judge has been trying to hide.
As the video ended, loud sobs were audible from the courtroom’s gallery, where the family of both the defendant and the victim were seated watching the hearing.
Stamper testified that during a discussion not seen on video between Stines and Mullins, Stines had attempted to call his daughter using the judge’s phone. While doing so, Stines allegedly found his daughter’s number already in the phone. While no further information about a possible motive was offered, Stamper said that Stines told a different officer when he was taken into custody, “They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”
Judge Rupert Wilhoit found probable cause to bind the case over for a grand jury. Prosecutors have not said whether they will be seeking the death penalty for Stines.
