LETCHER COUNTY, Ky. (Scripps News Lexington/Court TV) — A former sheriff accused of shooting and killing a Kentucky judge in his chambers wants his psychological evaluation unsealed.
Attorneys for Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines filed a motion to unseal the evaluation on Tuesday. According to the motion, the evaluation “was previously conducted and filed under seal by the court,” and the results are relevant to issues anticipated for an August 15 hearing.
Former Letcher County Ky. Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines looks over at the prosecutors during his arraignment at the Morgan County Courthouse in West Liberty, Ky., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Stines is accused of killing District Judge Kevin Mullins. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
“The defendant seeks to introduce portions of the psychological evaluation at the evidentiary hearing to support his defense and ensure the court has a full and fair understanding of the relevant facts,” the motion said.
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The upcoming hearing is for a previous motion filed in June, which moved to dismiss the indictment against Stines.
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Stines is charged with murder in the shooting death of Letcher County District Court Judge Kevin Mullins. At the time of the shooting, Stines was the sheriff of Letcher County. He resigned on October 1, 2024, just hours before he appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
This story was originally published on Scripps News Lexington, an E.W. Scripps company.
