Kentucky sheriff charged in killing of judge at courthouse 

FRANKFORT, Ky. — 

A justice successful a agrarian Kentucky region was fatally changeable successful his courthouse chambers Thursday, and the section sheriff was charged with execution successful the killing, constabulary said.

The preliminary probe indicates Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines changeable District Judge Kevin Mullins aggregate times pursuing an statement wrong the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police. Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died astatine the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident.

The fatal shooting successful Whitesburg sent daze waves done a tight-knit Appalachian municipality and region spot of authorities with astir 1,700 residents located astir 235 kilometers southeast of Lexington.

Lead region authoritative Matt Butler described an outpouring of sympathy arsenic helium recused himself and his bureau from investigations successful the shooting, citing societal and household ties to Mullins.

“We each cognize each different here. ... Anyone from Letcher County would archer you that Judge Mullins and I joined sisters and that we person children who are archetypal cousins but enactment similar siblings," Butler said successful connection from his office. “For that reason, among others, I person already taken steps to recuse myself and my full office.”

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his bureau volition collaborate with a commonwealth’s lawyer successful the portion arsenic peculiar prosecutors successful the transgression case.

“We volition afloat analyse and prosecute justice,” Coleman said connected societal media.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter said helium was “shocked by this enactment of violence” and that the tribunal strategy was “shaken by this news.”

Letcher County's judge-executive signed an bid closing connected Friday the region courthouse wherever the shooting took place.

Mullins, 54, was deed aggregate times successful the shooting, Kentucky State Police said. Stines, 43, was charged with 1 number of first-degree murder. The probe is continuing, constabulary said.

It was unclear whether Stines had an attorney. Kentucky State Police referred inquiries astir Stines’ ineligible practice Thursday to a spokesperson who did not instantly respond by email.

Responding to the shooting, Governor Andy Beshear said successful a societal media post: “There is acold excessively overmuch unit successful this world, and I commune determination is simply a way to a amended tomorrow.”

Mullins served arsenic a territory justice successful Letcher County since helium was appointed by erstwhile Gov. Steve Beshear successful 2009 and elected the pursuing year.

Mullins was known for promoting substance maltreatment attraction for radical progressive successful the justness strategy and helped hundreds of residents participate inpatient residential treatment, according to a programme for a cause acme helium spoke astatine successful 2022. He besides helped make a programme called Addiction Recovery Care to connection adjacent enactment services successful the courthouse. The programme was adopted successful astatine slightest 50 counties successful Kentucky.

Mullins besides served arsenic a founding subordinate of the Responsive Effort to Support Treatment successful Opioid Recovery Efforts Leadership Team.

After the shooting, respective country schools were concisely placed connected lockdown.