Murder case against former Kentucky sheriff accused of killing judge to be presented in court today

(CNN) — The last time he was in a courthouse, he fatally shot a judge, investigators say. On Tuesday, a former Kentucky sheriff will be in a different courthouse to hear the evidence against him.

Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, is scheduled to attend his preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon in person, according to court officials. He appeared remotely from the Leslie County Detention Center at an arraignment last week.

Prosecutors will make their case for why they believe Stines shot Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, to death in his own chambers last month, just across the street from the sheriff’s office.

The hearing is expected to provide the public’s first look into a possible motive for the killing. After the hearing, a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury.

Stines entered a not guilty plea to first-degree murder at his arraignment. Neither he nor investigators spoke about any specifics of the allegations against him during the hearing.

Since then, people in Whitesburg – a community of 1,773 people – have been waiting for details as to why investigators believe Stines and Mullins – who have been described as friends who lunched together on the day of the killing – ended up in an argument that left the judge dead.

Tuesday’s hearing takes place in West Liberty, Kentucky, nearly 100 miles from the Letcher County Courthouse where Mullins was killed.

The state appointed a special judge to preside over the case since Mullins normally would preside over preliminary hearings for crimes allegedly committed in Letcher County.

The hearing comes one day after Stines formally resigned his position as sheriff, according to a letter from his attorneys obtained by CNN affiliate WKYT.

Last week, Gov. Andy Beshear said he would begin the process of forcing Stines from office if he didn’t resign.

“The decision is made, not as a result of any ultimatum or in any way as a concession to any allegations made by the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” attorneys Jeremy Bartley and Kerri Bartley said in the letter to the governor’s general counsel.

“Rather, 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.”

Judge Rupert Wilhoit informed Stines at his preliminary hearing that he could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.

The-CNN-Wire
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