Current:Home > NewsKentucky Gov. Beshear seeks resignation of sheriff charged with killing judge -EquityExchange
Kentucky Gov. Beshear seeks resignation of sheriff charged with killing judge
View
Date:2025-04-17 16:10:22
The general counsel for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is calling for the resignation of a sheriff who faces murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a district judge at a courthouse last week.
In a letter Wednesday, Beshear's office and Kentucky General Counsel S. Travis Mayo asked Letcher County Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines to resign by the end of Friday. The letter noted that, under state law, Stines will be removed from his position if he does not resign.
"We ask that you tender your resignation as the Letcher County Sheriff to the Letcher County Judge/Executive by the end of Friday, September 27, 2024," the letter reads. "If you do not tender your resignation, the Governor will move forward with removal."
Stines, 43, is accused of fatally shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, on Sept. 19 at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, Kentucky. The shooting occurred after an argument, according to authorities.
The question haunting a Kentucky town:Why would the sheriff shoot the judge?
The sheriff faces one count of murder, authorities said. Stines made his first court appearance virtually on Wednesday as he remains jailed in Leslie County and pleaded not guilty to the charge, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Stines is expected to appear in court on Oct. 1 for his preliminary hearing.
The shooting shocked the community of Whitesburg, a small city in southeastern Kentucky near the Virginia border. Both Stines and Mullins had deep ties to the community, The Courier-Journal previously reported.
Letcher County Commonwealth's Attorney Matt Butler previously said he would recuse himself from the case due to his "close personal relationship" with Mullins and his "close professional relationship" with Stines.
Kentucky district judge shot multiple times inside courthouse
Authorities said Stines shot and killed Mullins, who had been a judge in Whitesburg since 2009, in his private chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse just before 3 p.m. on Sept. 19. Authorities discovered Mullins with "multiple gunshot wounds," according to Kentucky State Police spokesperson Matt Gayheart.
Emergency personnel attempted lifesaving measures but were unsuccessful, Gayheart previously said. Mullins was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Letcher County Coroner’s Office.
A preliminary investigation found that Stines fatally shot Mullins after an argument inside the courthouse, according to Gayheart. Stines was taken into custody shortly after without incident.
Stines, who has served as the Letcher County sheriff since being elected in 2018, is being held at the county jail, about 50 miles east of Whitesburg. Officials have not yet revealed a motive for the shooting.
Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY; Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Mosquitoes spread malaria. These researchers want them to fight it instead
- Why the Feared Wave of Solar Panel Waste May Be Smaller and Arrive Later Than We Expected
- An experimental Alzheimer's drug outperforms one just approved by the FDA
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- RHOM's Guerdy Abraira Proudly Debuts Shaved Head as She Begins Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
- Mosquitoes spread malaria. These researchers want them to fight it instead
- Corn Nourishes the Hopi Identity, but Climate-Driven Drought Is Stressing the Tribe’s Foods and Traditions
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Zayn Malik's Call Her Daddy Bombshells: Gigi Hadid Relationship, Yolanda Hadid Dispute & More
Ranking
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- California Regulators Approve Reduced Solar Compensation for Homeowners
- Amazon Prime Day 2023 Beauty Steal: Get 10 Breakout-Clearing Sheet Masks for $13
- Raises Your Glasses High to Vanderpump Rules' First Ever Emmy Nominations
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- Inside Kelly Preston and John Travolta's Intensely Romantic Love Story
- Amazon Prime Day 2023 Samsonite Deals: Save Up to 62% On Luggage Just in Time for Summer Travel
- Puerto Rico Hands Control of its Power Plants to a Natural Gas Company
Recommendation
Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
Study Shows Protected Forests Are Cooler
Taco John's has given up its 'Taco Tuesday' trademark after a battle with Taco Bell
This Arctic US Air Base Has Its Eyes on Russia. But Climate is a Bigger Threat
Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
Army Corps of Engineers Withdraws Approval of Plans to Dredge a Superfund Site on the Texas Gulf Coast for Oil Tanker Traffic
Russia's nixing of Ukraine grain deal deepens worries about global food supply
Amid a record heat wave, Texas construction workers lose their right to rest breaks