Prosecutors have asked a judge to uphold a murder charge against the former Letcher County sheriff accused of fatally shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins inside his chambers in September 2024.
In a June 27 court filing, special prosecutors Ramsey Dallam and Jackie Steele responded to Shawn “Mickey” Stines’ motion to dismiss his murder indictment. Prosecutors said the defense’s arguments for dismissing the charge are unsupported and denied a procedural misstep that could be considered grounds for dismissing an indictment, according to court records.
In his motion June 4, Stines’ attorneys argued that prosecutors violated court rules by failing to record a grand jury meeting in October, during which prosecutors sought grand jury subpoenas. Prosecutors countered that the rules only require recording a grand jury hearing when testimony is given, which was not the case at this hearing.
Shawn “Mickey” Stines during a preliminary hearing at Morgan County District Court on Oct. 1, 2024.
Stines’ attorneys also argued that Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper withheld information and made “misleading” statements related to the defendants’ mental health and a federal civil case he is named in during his grand jury testimony in November 2024.
Prosecutors said the detective answered all questions grand jurors asked about both matters, citing various parts of the hearing transcript. Accusations of “misleading” statements lack evidence, they added.
Prosecutors asked the judge to deny Stines’ motion without an evidentiary hearing as requested.
Special Judge Christopher Cohron has yet to issue a decision on the matter, and a hearing has not been set as of July 2.
In the pretrial stages of the case, attorneys for Stines have suggested the former sheriff’s mental state played a part in the case and could constitute a key part of their defense.
The court is still awaiting the results of an examination to determine whether Stines “lacked the substantial capacity either to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of law” due to mental illness.
More: Extended video from Letcher County courthouse shows interactions before fatal shooting
Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Prosecutors ask judge to keep murder charge on ex-Letcher Co. sheriff