Disturbing new bodycam reveals Kentucky sheriff's outburst moments after he shot judge best friend dead in his chambers

A sheriff who changeable the section justice dormant successful his chambers was paranoid helium was going to beryllium murdered connected the mode to jailhouse minutes later.

Letcher County Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines gunned down Judge Kevin Mullins wrong the region courthouse connected September 19.

Exactly wherefore Stines killed his adjacent person soon aft they had luncheon unneurotic is simply a mystery, with lone vague explanations from his lawyers truthful far.

The shooting and the moments starring up to it, earlier Stines drew his weapon and Mullins tried to fell down his desk, were caught connected film.

Kentucky State Police arrested Stines minutes aboriginal and their attempts to interrogation him successful the courthouse hallway were filmed connected bodycam.

But the troopers didn't person immoderate occurrence arsenic they spent the full clip trying to reassure a paranoid Stines that they weren't going to termination him.

'I permission this building, I won't gully different breath,' helium told them portion handcuffed, his limb nervously shaking.

Stines was terrified of being transported to the Leslie County Jail, an hour's thrust away, and begged to beryllium locked up successful the 1 adjacent doorway instead.

KSP Investigator Clayton Stamper reminded him that wasn't possible, arsenic helium had to beryllium taken retired of the region owed to his presumption arsenic sheriff.

'I'll ne'er marque it to the Leslie County Jail. Put maine successful the Leslie County Jail, I'll get killed there. I'll get killed successful immoderate jail,' Stines pleaded.

Stamper, confused astir wherefore Stines was successful fearfulness of his life, asked wherefore helium thought the troopers planned to termination him.

'Mickey, wherefore bash you deliberation we're going to bash thing to you? Why would we wanna wounded you?' helium said.

'Look, I cognize that this is evidently a precise crappy situation, but I guarantee you we person nary intentions of harming you whatsoever.'

Stines said helium was disquieted the transport would halt on the way, and idiosyncratic other would get successful the car and termination him.

'Come on, beryllium just to maine now. I seen the look… Y'all travel connected now, don't termination me. Don't punish me, you know. Let's beryllium fair. Don't sprout me, thing similar that, helium said.

Stines yet settled down, but became much paranoid erstwhile the troopers tried to question him astir the shooting.

'Y'all are gonna termination me, I cognize you are. Let's conscionable get it implicit with. Let's conscionable go,' helium said.

Stamper yet convinced Stines to spell to the Leslie County Jail by agreeing to let Trooper Jason Bates, a erstwhile Letcher County lawman Stines knew well, beryllium the 1 to thrust him there.

Stines inactive appeared fearful and jumpy arsenic helium was led to the constabulary car, peering astir corners and scanning for imaginable threats everywhere.

Troopers tried to question Stines during the drive, but helium stayed quiet.

Stines' lawyers plan to contiguous an insanity defense if the lawsuit goes to trial, claiming 2 weeks of aggravated accent drove him to murder.

Footage from conscionable earlier the shooting showed Stines explicit interest astir his family, and telephone his girl from the judge's phone.

He besides told officers seconds aft the shooting: 'They’re trying to kidnap my woman and kid.'

Defense lawyer Jeremy Bartley issued a ineligible filing saying his client's authorities of caput astatine the clip of the shooting would beryllium cardinal to his upcoming trial. 

He said the lawsuit volition hinge connected grounds that Stines gave astatine a deposition for a suit by Sabrina Adkins days earlier the September 2024 shooting. 

Stines successful that interrogation answered questions astir 1 of his deputies allegedly sexually assaulting jailhouse inmates.

An accuser successful that lawsuit claimed that she was forced by a lawman sheriff to person enactment successful Mullins' chambers for six months successful speech for staying retired of jail.

Bartley claimed Stines was acrophobic astir backlash from his deposition testimony, which caused him to fearfulness that his oregon his family's lives were successful danger.

The lawyer claimed Stines' 'mental health' was affected by the perceived threat.

'Ultimately, helium was successful fearfulness for the information of his woman and his daughter, and I deliberation what you spot determination is the effect of that,' helium wrote. 

Adkins accused Judge Mullins of inappropriate behavior, claiming she had witnessed him engaging successful intersexual acts with women successful speech for peculiar treatment.

This lawsuit, filed successful January 2022, claimed Mullins was progressive successful a sex-for-favors strategy wrong his chambers.

Adkins besides alleged erstwhile lawman Ben Fields was involved, having filmed illicit encounters, immoderate of which reportedly progressive Mullins.

Stines, a adjacent person of Mullins for astir 30 years, was mentioned successful the ineligible proceedings conscionable 3 days earlier the shooting.

'I deliberation the deposition has respective important roles successful this case... it's going to beryllium a ample information of the communicative we tell,' Bartley said.