Kentucky Sheriff Fatally Shoots District Judge

Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, who officially resigned Monday as sheriff of Letcher County, appeared in court in a jail uniform and handcuffs as prosecutors presented their evidence in the murder of District Judge Kevin Mullins.

Judge Rupert Wilhoit found probable cause to refer the first-degree murder charge to a grand jury. Defense attorneys did not deny that Stines shot Mullins, 54, last month, but suggested Stines was experiencing an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of the shooting.

“I think they’ve established probable cause for manslaughter first, but not murder,” defense attorney Jeremy Bartley told the judge.