Kentucky sheriff accused of shooting judge in his chambers stepping down from post

A Kentucky sheriff accused of killing a judge in his chambers 12 days ago has retired, his attorney said in a statement.

Shawn “Mickey” Stines allegedly fatally shot Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins in a courthouse on September 19 and has been charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

According to NBC News, a Wednesday letter from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's general counsel warned Stines to resign or he’d face removal proceedings.

“Sheriff Stines has made this decision to allow for a successor to continue to protect his beloved constituents while he addresses the legal process ahead of him,” his lawyer, Jeremy Bartley, said in a statement.

While no motive for the shooting has been identified, a spokesman for the Kentucky State Police said it occurred after an argument, possibly over accusations that a sheriff’s deputy sexually abused a woman while in the judge’s office.

Stines had been deposed in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed in 2022, which alleged he didn’t adequately train or manage the deputy, and he had argued that he was protected from being sued due to his position as sheriff, according to NBC News.