A Kentucky sheriff accused of fatally shooting a judge in his chambers entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday during his first court appearance since the incident that shocked their small Appalachian community.
Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, appeared via video link for his arraignment on a first-degree murder charge in the death of District Judge Kevin Mullins. Stines, wearing a gray jail uniform, showed no emotion as he answered questions from the special judge overseeing the case, according to The Associated Press.
A preliminary investigation alleges that Stines shot Mullins multiple times on Sept. 19 following an argument between the two in the Letcher County courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police. The 54-year-old Mullins, who had served as judge since 2009, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered minutes later without incident, according to state police.
Special Judge H. Rupert Wilhoit III conducted the hearing from his courtroom in Carter County, about 100 miles away. No discussion of bond occurred during the brief hearing, according to The Associated Press.
If convicted, Stines could face 20 years to life in prison.
Because the victim was a public official, prosecutors could seek the death penalty, though no decision has been made, according to special prosecutor Jackie Steele.
“Any decisions regarding the death penalty will be done at a later date when all the evidence has been processed and the case has had a thorough evaluation,” Steele told the Lexington Herald-Leader.
The hearing mostly focused on Stines’s ability to pay for an attorney. According to public defender Josh Miller—who entered the not guilty plea on Stines’s behalf—the sheriff will soon lose his $115,000 yearly salary and could face significant legal costs.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is seeking Stines’s swift resignation. In a letter to the jailed sheriff, the governor’s office called for Stines to step down by Friday or face removal under state law.
Wilhoit appointed Miller to represent Stines at the next hearing in October but warned the defendant he may ultimately have to pay for his own attorney.
During the short hearing, Stines said he has had trouble looking for an attorney considering the position he is in.
“It’s kind of hard where I’m at to have contact with the people I need to,” Stines said.
Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the shooting. The Kentucky attorney general’s office is collaborating with the special prosecutor on the case.
Mullins had served as district judge since his 2009 appointment by then-Gov. Steve Beshear, father of the current governor. He was elected to a full term the following year.
The courthouse violence has left many in the community struggling to comprehend how two respected local officials who had worked together for years could end up in such a tragic event.