Lawyer for Killer Sheriff Reveals Real Reason He Shot Judge
as Shock Video Shows Deadly Encounter







In a stunning turn of events that has rocked the quiet town of Whitesburg, Kentucky,
former Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines stands accused of a crime that has left the community reeling.

On September 19, the 43-year-old lawman allegedly fired eight bullets into his longtime friend,
Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, inside the judge’s chambers at Lechter County Courthouse.


The incident, which unfolded with shocking swiftness,
has raised questions about the motives behind such a violent act
between two pillars of the local justice system.

Stines, who has since resigned from his position as sheriff,
pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Defense attorney Jeremy Bartley has put forth a provocative claim,
suggesting that the killing occurred “in the heat of passion.”


Bartley told PEOPLE,
“It was not something that was planned…
For us, the highest level of culpability should be manslaughter based on
the partial defense of extreme emotional disturbance.”

The defense’s strategy hints at underlying tensions that may have precipitated the tragic event.

Daily Mail reported that investigators are pursuing multiple leads, including a potential “sex scandal” motive.

One particularly intriguing detail emerged during the investigation:
detectives believe the shooting may have been triggered when Stines discovered
his daughter’s phone number in Mullins’ phone.

Surveillance footage from the courthouse, presented during a preliminary hearing on October 2,
captured Stines checking his phone before making a call from the judge’s device.


Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that he was informed the sheriff
had attempted to contact his daughter from both phones, per Daily Mail.

Adding another layer to the unfolding drama, it was revealed that just hours before the shooting,
Stines and Mullins had shared lunch at the Streetside Grill & Bar,
a popular local eatery mere yards from the courthouse.

The pair, known to be regular lunchtime companions,
had ordered their usual meal of wings and salad,
giving no outward indication of the impending tragedy.

A cryptic exchange may have occurred during this meal,
per Stamper’s testimony.

“I was told that the judge made a statement to Mickey about,
‘Do we need to meet private in my chambers?'”
the detective recounted.

The events that followed paint a chilling picture.


Stines allegedly entered the judge’s outer office,
requested a private audience with Mullins,
and then proceeded to shoot him once they were alone in the inner chambers.

Afterward, Stines surrendered to officers with his hands raised.

As the investigation continues,
authorities are also examining a civil lawsuit against one of Stines’ deputies,
who was convicted of rape.

The lawsuit accused Stines of failing to properly train and supervise the deputy,
who had coerced a woman on home incarceration into sexual favors – ironically,
in Judge Mullins’ very chambers.

The community of Whitesburg,
accustomed to the quiet rhythms of small-town life,
now finds itself at the center of a tragedy that has shattered
long-standing relationships and trust.

As the case unfolds, residents grapple with the shocking transformation
of their sheriff from protector to alleged murderer.


With Stines facing a first-degree murder charge and his defense team preparing
to tell his side of the story, the coming weeks and months promise to reveal
more about the circumstances that led to this fateful confrontation between
two men who once stood side by side in service of the law.






As shown in court