Kentucky Sheriff Pleads Not Guilty to Murder of District Judge

Sheriff Shawn Stines is accused of fatally shooting Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers amid ongoing federal lawsuit involving deputy misconduct.

Sheriff Shawn Stines, 43, was arraigned via virtual hearing and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges.
The incident occurred at the Letcher County Courthouse, where Stines allegedly shot Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, after an argument.
Stines was deposed days before the shooting in a lawsuit alleging his former deputy, Ben Fields, coerced women into sex in Mullins' chambers.
The shooting has shocked the small town of Whitesburg, leading to courthouse and school lockdowns and raising questions about security protocols.
Authorities are investigating the motive, with the Attorney General's office and special prosecutors handling the case.