WHITESBURG (09/03/25) — Court documents indicate a former eastern Kentucky sheriff charged with killing a county judge remained in an “active state of psychosis” days after the shooting and battled with jail staff, who had to use pepper spray on him, according to recently Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines is charged with killing District Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers nearly a year ago. Stines has pleaded innocent to a charge of murder of a public official. His lawyers are seeking to have his mental evaluation by state doctors unsealed. They argue Stines suffered from “extreme emotional disturbance” prior to the shooting.
