New mugshot of Kentucky sheriff who 'shot dead judge in courthouse' is seen looking stone-faced

A rural Kentucky sheriff who changeable dormant a justice successful his ain courtroom has been pictured successful his mugshot.

Lechter County Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines, 43, is accused in the shooting decease of District Court Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, astatine the section courthouse successful Whitesburg connected Thursday.

Stines allegedly changeable justice Mullins aggregate times successful his bureau pursuing a abbreviated argument. 

Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died astatine the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident. 

Stines is charged with archetypal grade murder.

Police person not released a motive for the killing. 

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 145 miles (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.

Mullins was appointed to service arsenic a justice successful the state's 47th territory nether erstwhile Gov. Steve Beshear successful 2009.

He oversaw juvenile matters, metropolis and region ordinances, misdemeanors, postulation offenses, arraignments, felony probable origin hearings, claims involving $2,500 oregon less, civilian cases involving $5,000 oregon less, voluntary and involuntary intelligence commitments and home unit cases, according to a Letcher County website.

Mullins besides gained designation for his efforts to dainty those with cause addiction alternatively than incarcerate them, starting a programme successful 2010 that allowed inmates with substance maltreatment disorders to enroll successful inpatient attraction arsenic a information of pretrial release.

He was antecedently an adjunct commonwealth lawyer for 9 and a fractional years, focusing connected drug-related offenses.

Stines, meanwhile, was elected sheriff successful 2018 and reelected successful 2022.