Police chief arrested over brutal murder of district judge inside courthouse

An American constabulary main stands accused of walking into a courthouse and shooting dormant a territory justice successful his chambers aft an statement – arsenic the Governor of Kentucky speaks retired connected the fearfulness crime

An American constabulary main walked into a courthouse and changeable and killed a territory justice successful his chambers aft an argument, US officials person said.

Shawn Stines, the sheriff successful Letcher County, Kentucky, turned himself successful aft the slaying of Judge Kevin Mullins. The 43-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder.

The shooting happened astatine astir 2.55pm yesterday wrong the Letcher County Courthouse successful Whitesburg, a metropolis successful southeastern Kentucky. Trooper Matt Gayheart said the sheriff was taken to a section jailhouse and is cooperating with investigators. "This assemblage is tiny successful nature, and we're each shook," helium said.

Judge Mullins, 54, suffered aggregate gunshot wounds and was pronounced dormant astatine the scene, Trooper Gayheart added. The fatal shooting successful Whitesburg sent daze waves done the tight-knit Appalachian town.

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. "For that reason, among others, I person already taken steps to recuse myself and my full office."

Responding to the shooting, Kentucky 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 Governor Steve Beshear successful 2009 and elected the pursuing year.

The justice 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 Addiction Recovery Care, a programme offering 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.