Ex-sheriff charged in judge's shooting that rocked a Kentucky community watches hearing from jail
A former Kentucky sheriff accused of gunning down a judge last year, stunning their tight-knit Appalachian community, appeared remotely from jail on Friday for a court hearing as defense attorneys and prosecutors discussed preliminary matters that will lead up to his murder trial.
Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines has been jailed since the killing last September, but his attorneys indicated they will ask that bond be set at another hearing not yet scheduled.
Circuit Court Judge Christopher Cohron said he would be “glad to address bond” then. It was the first hearing before Cohron since his appointment last month as special judge in the case. Defense attorney Jeremy Bartley said the matter of whether Stines should be released on bond had been in limbo until Cohron’s appointment.
Stines is accused of fatally shooting Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins in the judge’s chambers. Mullins died at the scene and Stines, who was sheriff at the time, surrendered without incident.
Read more at: https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-judge-murder-sheriff-charged-060d9071618626980ab0668ff73028ae