The shocking surveillance footage showing a Letcher County Sheriff shooting the District Judge to death was played in court for all to see.
The Kentucky judge was shown on video, without audio, crouching behind his desk to evade his attacker on September 19 of this year.
Shawn Stines, 43, who stands accused of first-degree murder for the killing, faced the family of state court judge Kevin Mullins on Tuesday (October 1) while the horrifying footage was being shown.
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It was during the preliminary hearing for the former Sheriff, who resigned from his post on Monday, that Stines appeared in jail uniform and handcuffs as he watched himself on screen committing the brutal murder.
“Sheriff Stines has made this decision to allow for a successor to continue to protect his beloved constituents while he addresses the legal process ahead of him,” his defence attorney, wrote of his resignation.
Judge Rupert Wilhoit could refer the first-degree murder case to a grand jury, however, defence attorneys suggested Stines was experiencing an ‘extreme emotional disturbance’ at the time.
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Defence attorney Jeremy Bartley told the judge, as per CNN: “I think they’ve established probable cause for manslaughter first, but not murder.”
The 20 second clip was played in court, and Mullins’ family could be heard crying and wailing on the prosecution side of the gallery.
Although it was only the murder than was shown, Kentucky State Police allege that the full clip is longer.
What was shown, however, saw Mullins being shot at while he was hiding behind his desk. As Stines begins to walk from the room, he notices that the judge is still moving and fires more close-range shots.
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In the courtroom, Stines turned his head away from the screen as it was playing.
It's said that Stines and Mullins had both eaten lunch prior to the altercation at a restaurant, and witnesses didn’t notice anything off about the pair.
However, Kentucky State Police Det. Clayton Stamper testified as a witness that Mullins made a comment to Stines.
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Stamper said: “I was told that the judge made a statement to Mickey about, ‘Do we need to meet private in my chambers?’”
Stines was confirmed to have been seen on the footage not shown to the court attempting to call his daughter on his own phone, before asking to see Mullins’ phone.
Seconds later, the sheriff began shooting at the judge.
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Stamper said: “I was told that Sheriff Stines had tried to call his daughter, and he had tried to call his daughter from the judge’s phone also.”
The detective went on to confirm that phone records confirmed that Stines’ daughter had been previously called from Mullins’ phone before the incident.
Stines went on to hand himself over immediately after the shooting and told them: “They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”
Stamper said Stines was ‘mostly calm’ when they arrived, adding: “Basically, all he said was, ‘Treat me fair.’”
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Stines has pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge, but he has been informed that he could face the death penalty if convicted.
Britt Jones