Kentucky Sheriff Seen in Shooting Footage Against Judge in Shocking Preliminary Hearing

A shocking video showing the murder of a Kentucky judge in his chambers was played during a court hearing for the ex-sheriff accused of the murder.

The short video clip was presented by prosecutors during Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines’ preliminary hearing, showing the shocking moments he allegedly opened fire on 54-year-old District Judge Kevin Mullins , September 19.

The video, without audio, showed a man identified by police as Stines pulling out a gun and shooting the judge as he sat at his desk. The man walked around the office, pointed his gun at the judge – who had fallen to the ground – and fired again.

The emotions of the individuals in the courtroom were palpable, with some audibly moaning and crying.

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Mullins died from multiple gunshot wounds, Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper said Tuesday.

Stines pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder at his arraignment last week and is being held in another Kentucky county.

Stamper said Stines and Mullins had an amicable lunch with a group before the shooting and no witnesses observed any anger in their conversation.

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“I was told the judge made a statement to Mickey: ‘Shall we meet privately at my apartment?’ “,” Stamper said, adding that he didn’t know what it was.

Stamper said that while he was not directly aware of a prior relationship between the two men, he said he had “heard things” regarding a lawsuit involving the sheriff’s office.

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Stines had been deposed in a lawsuit filed by two women, one of whom claimed a sheriff’s deputy forced her to have sex in Mullins’ apartments for six months in exchange for staying out of jail. .

The lawsuit accused the now former sheriff of “deliberate indifference by failing to adequately train and supervise” the deputy.

A handful of people were in a room next to Mullins’ apartments when the shots rang out. Stines was in custody by the time he arrived at the courthouse, Stamper said.

Stamper said Stines was “pretty calm” by the time he arrived at the shooting scene. “Basically all he said was, ‘Treat me fairly,'” Stamper said.

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At the end of the hearing, Judge Rupert Wilhoit III determined that there is probable cause to believe that Stines committed the crime, allowing the case to go before a grand jury to decide whether he Stines had to be charged.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Stines could face the death penalty.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.