Kentucky sheriff who was accused of fatally shooting judge in his chambers indicted for murder



A Kentucky sheriff who was accused of fatally shooting a district judge in his chambers two months ago was indicted for murder Thursday.

Prosecuting attorney Jackie Steele said after a grand jury returned the indictment that he couldn't comment on an alleged motive, although police previously said Shawn “Mickey” Stines — then-sheriff of Letcher County — and Judge Kevin Mullins had argued just before the Sept. 19 shooting, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

'Everything seemed fine between them. There was no clue that anything was wrong at all. You wouldn't have guessed there was the slightest problem.'

Judge Julia H. Adams received the indictment and set Stines’ arraignment for next Monday, the paper said.

Stines turned himself in after the shooting and was charged with first-degree murder, the New York Times reported, citing police. He retired as sheriff less than two weeks after the shooting.

Stines — who's accused of shooting Mullins eight times — pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

The shooting was captured on surveillance video. You can view the surveillance clip here; it omits the actual shots being fired, and it's included in a larger video report about the shooting. Spectators cried out in the Morgan County courtroom as the video played during a hearing last month, WDKY-TV reported.

Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that the full video of the shooting shows Stines using his own phone to make multiple calls, then using the judge’s phone to make a call, the Louisville Courier Journal reported, adding that the shooting followed.

Stamper testified that the calls were to Stines’ daughter, the Courier Journal noted, and he said the phone number of Stines' daughter had been saved in the judge's phone and was called before the shooting. Stamper also said Stines stood up from his chair in the judge’s office after looking at Mullins’ phone and shot him seconds later, the Herald-Leader said.

The shooting is particularly curious since Stines and Mullins reportedly had been decades-long friends.

Image source: Letcher County Sheriff's Office Facebook page (left); letchercounty.ky.gov (right)

What's more, the pair went to lunch at the Streetside Grill & Bar on Main Street just hours before the shooting, the Daily Mail reported. A restaurant employee told the outlet that Stines and Mullins ordered their usual lunch — both having chicken wings with salad.

"Everything seemed fine between them. There was no clue that anything was wrong at all," an employee said. "You wouldn't have guessed there was the slightest problem."

A woman who reportedly works for the Letcher County Sheriff’s Office also gave her phone to investigators for examination, WDKY said, adding that Stamper testified that she was one of Stines’ employees and believed she’d received text messages from Stines that noted what occurred at lunch and led to the shooting.

Under cross-examination, Stamper said that when Stines "was taken into custody, I was told by one of the other officers that were there that he made the comment, ‘They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid,'" WDKY added.

More from the Herald-Leader:

The crime could be eligible for the death penalty if Stines is convicted because Mullins was a public official. Steele, who is prosecuting the case with Attorney General Russell Coleman’s office, said there had been no decision yet on whether to seek the death penalty against Stines if he is convicted. However, Stines’ attorney, Jeremy Bartley, has said that he does not think the murder is the appropriate charge in the case.

Bartley said at the Oct. 1 hearing that the evidence offered there pointed to the shooting as being an act of “extreme emotional disturbance” in reaction to something Stines had seen on Mullins’ phone.

There was no information at the hearing about what was on the phone. If a jury decided Stines acted out of extreme emotional disturbance, he couldn’t be convicted of murder, but rather first-degree manslaughter or a lesser crime. The death penalty would not be an option in that case.

You can view a video report here about Thursday's murder indictment.

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Surveillance video of Kentucky judge getting fatally shot in his chambers is shown during accused sheriff's hearing



Surveillance video of a Kentucky judge getting fatally shot in his chambers last month was shown during a hearing in the case of the sheriff accused of killing him.

Spectators cried out in the Morgan County courtroom as the video played last week, WDKY-TV reported.

'Everything seemed fine between them. There was no clue that anything was wrong at all.'

You can view the surveillance clip of the shooting here; it omits the actual shots being fired, and it's included in a larger video report about the shooting.

Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines appeared before a judge last Tuesday afternoon for a probable cause hearing, WDKY said. State police said Stines, 43, fatally shot District Judge Kevin Mullins in his courthouse chambers in Whitesburg on Sept. 19.

Image source: Letcher County Sheriff's Office Facebook page (left); letchercounty.ky.gov (right)

Stines turned himself in after the shooting and was charged with first-degree murder, the New York Times reported, citing police.

Stines — who's accused of shooting Mullins eight times — pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified that the full video of the shooting shows Stines using his own phone to make multiple calls, then using the judge’s phone to make a call, the Louisville Courier Journal reported, adding that the shooting followed.

Stamper testified that the calls were to Stines’ daughter, the Courier Journal said. Stamper added that the phones have been sent to forensic teams for examination, the Courier Journal noted, adding that the daughter’s phone has not been examined. Stamper also said the phone number of Stines' daughter had been saved in the judge's phone and was called before the shooting, the Courier Journal reported.

However, Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart told WDKY in a separate story that contrary to how it was stated in court, investigators won’t know if the number of Stines' daughter was saved in Mullins’ phone until forensic reports come back in a few weeks. But the call log reportedly showed her number had been called prior to the shooting, the station noted.

The shooting is particularly curious since Stines and Mullins reportedly had been decades-long friends. What's more, the pair went to lunch at the Streetside Grill & Bar on Main Street just hours before the shooting, the Daily Mail reported.

A restaurant employee told the outlet that Stines and Mullins ordered their usual lunch — both having chicken wings with salad.

"Everything seemed fine between them. There was no clue that anything was wrong at all," an employee said. "You wouldn't have guessed there was the slightest problem."

A woman who reportedly works for the Letcher County Sheriff’s Office also gave her phone to investigators for examination, WDKY said, adding that Stamper testified that she was one of Stines’ employees and believed she’d received text messages from Stines that noted what occurred at lunch and led to the shooting.

Under cross-examination, Stamper said that when Stines "was taken into custody, I was told by one of the other officers that were there that he made the comment, ‘They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid,'" WDKY added.

Stines' lawyer also argued that the charges against his client should be lowered to manslaughter given Stamper’s testimony claiming the shooting was the result of “extreme emotional disturbance" and there's no evidence showing the shooting was planned.

Court documents indicated that the defense established probable cause in last Tuesday’s hearing, and the case is set to be heard by a grand jury, WDKY reported.

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Justice Dept. ends probe of cops' use of force in drug suspect's arrest; suspect's lawyer calls fed's decision 'unfortunate'



The Justice Department ended its probe of Florida cops' use of force in a late September arrest of a drug suspect, the Associated Press reported.

James Felte Jr. — the department's criminal section chief — wrote in a letter to Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters that the arrest of Le’Keian Woods doesn't present a prosecutable violation of federal civil rights laws, the AP said.

What's the background?

Woods ran from police after a traffic stop and appeared to resist arrest, even after getting hit with a taser.

A passerby recorded cellphone video of Woods' arrest, which showed numerous officers using force to gain control of him, including slamming his head into the ground; the video also showed Woods' swollen face after he was handcuffed.

Jacksonville police release report, booking photo of man accusing officers of brutality youtu.be

Woods' attorney called for a federal investigation and accused Waters of a cover-up, the AP said in a previous story. But Waters ripped critics during a news conference during which bodycam video of the arrest was shown:

"So, it's pretty unbelievable, disheartening, to have to announce that social media is not reality. Its content is not fact-checked by any entity. Because of this misinformation campaign by the anti-police fringe, our agency has come under fire, and individual detectives' lives have been threatened. This intentionally misguiding manipulation of facts is wrong and dangerous, and I will not remain silent while the truth is buried to advance a particular agenda. The truth is Woods sustained facial injuries when he fled from police and was tased [and] fell face-first onto the concrete. Detectives struggled with him, and as I stated before, they used strikes to ... gain control, but he continued to resist arrest. The outcome of Woods' apprehension contrast[s] with that of his friends in the truck who immediately complied with police and suffered no physical injury. Force looks ugly, as I stated before, because all force is ugly, not because the detectives engaged in misconduct. And based on the currently available information, the agency believes that the involved detectives acted appropriately with respect to the law and [sheriff's office] policy."

Here's the video of the news conference. Bodycam video showing the traffic stop, chase, and Woods' arrest begins at the 7:49 mark:

— (@)

Waters and Mike Shell, his assistant chief for public accountability, said officers knew Woods had been accused of murder at one time, was on probation for armed robbery, and had been connected to firearms and drug trafficking when they chased him after the traffic stop, the AP reported.

Woods has been on probation after pleading no contest to a 2017 Tallahassee robbery in which he and his roommate tried to rob a marijuana dealer at gunpoint, the AP noted, citing court records.

The dealer pulled his own gun and fatally shot the roommate as Woods fled, the outlet also said, adding that Woods originally was charged with second-degree murder over his roommate’s death, but a plea bargain was reached last year that released him without prison time.

Woods was charged in this latest encounter with resisting arrest with violence, armed trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine, and other felonies, the AP noted.

'Unfortunate'

Woods' attorney Harry Daniels told the AP in a statement that "while it is unfortunate that the DOJ’s Special Litigation Section has chosen to close its review so quickly despite the clear evidence before them, it is not surprising. At the end of the day, that’s why we have the civil courts where a jury will ultimately decide justice.”

The outlet, citing his attorneys, said Woods suffered a ruptured kidney, vomiting, and migraine headaches following the confrontation.

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Arizona sheriff condemns shipping container wall along southern border: 'This whole project is illegal'

Arizona sheriff condemns shipping container wall along southern border: 'This whole project is illegal'



One Arizona sheriff has threatened action against those contractors helping Governor Doug Ducey (R) to build a wall along the state's southern border with Mexico.

For over four months, Ducey has facilitated the construction of a makeshift border wall by using shipping containers to fill in gaps in the wall constructed under former President Donald Trump. The shipping container project has largely been successful. The areas around Yuma in the southwestern region of the state, which has long been a hot spot for illegal immigrants and drug smugglers crossing into the United States, were fortified back in August. Now, during Ducey's final days in office, the project continues apace through Cochise County, which is located in the southeastern corner of Arizona.

However, one sheriff in charge of a border county in between the two has threatened those who want to place those shipping containers in his jurisdiction. Sheriff David Hathaway of Santa Cruz County calls the entire project "illegal."

"This whole project is illegal," he recently stated. "It’s illegal on the federal level, the state level, and the local level."

From Hathaway's perspective, those who participate in building the shipping container wall are not much different from those committing violent crimes, such as murder and grand theft auto.

"It's not state land, it's not private land, and the federal government has said this [is] illegal activity," Hathaway said, echoing talking points of the Biden administration. "So just the way if I saw somebody doing an assault or a homicide or a vehicle theft on public land within my county, I would charge that person with a crime."

Not only is the makeshift wall illegal, Hathaway said, but those constructing it are committing other crimes that endanger his community. Hathaway claimed that many of the truck drivers transporting materials to construct the wall elsewhere are "barreling through town," ignoring stop signs, and "flying past children," the Intercept reports.

"I’ve advised my deputies to especially scrutinize that area looking for speed violations, reckless endangerment, reckless driving," Hathaway added.

Sheriff Hathaway has even aligned himself with activists in his community who are attempting to thwart progress on the wall. A handful of protestors, who insist that the shipping containers threaten human and environmental safety, have attempted to disrupt further construction. Hathaway expressed admiration and support for their efforts, which he called "very valiant" and which he compared to "a Tiananmen Square-type situation."



Thus far, the shipping containers have not encroached on Santa Cruz County, so there's little that Hathaway can do as sheriff. However, the wall inches ever closer to his jurisdiction. There are shipping containers placed in Cochise County within six miles of its border with Santa Cruz County.

Hathaway is also optimistic that the shipping container wall will end once Ducey leaves office. Democrat Katie Hobbs was declared Ducey's successor in the election last month, and Hathaway stated that he has already been in touch with members of her team.

Hathaway also posted to Twitter images of two different meetings he had with Hobbs in August while she was on the campaign trail.

\u201cSheriff David Hathaway giving Governor candidate Katie Hobbs a tour of the beautiful ranchlands of Santa Cruz County.\u201d
— Sheriff David Hathaway, Santa Cruz County, AZ (@Sheriff David Hathaway, Santa Cruz County, AZ) 1661885256
\u201cGovernor candidate Katie Hobbs comes by to visit Sheriff Hathaway at the Hathaway Ranch in Nogales.\u201d
— Sheriff David Hathaway, Santa Cruz County, AZ (@Sheriff David Hathaway, Santa Cruz County, AZ) 1659817907


FACT CHECK: Did A County Sheriff’s Office In Arizona Discover Evidence Of Election Fraud?

The video is from the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office in Oklahoma

Lawsuit: Indiana corrections officer sold male inmates keys to women's facility, stood by during 'night of terror' that included rape resulting in miscarriage



Nearly 30 current and former inmates in the women's detention facility in Clark County, Indiana, have sued a local sheriff, a corrections officer, and several other "unknown jail officers," alleging that they either actively or passively permitted male inmates to access the female housing pod and inflict a "night of terror" on female detainees.

According to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in New Albany, Indiana, 28 women allege that David Lowe, a corrections officer at the Clark County Jail, sold male inmates the keys to the women's facility for $1,000. Then late in the evening of October 23, 2021, the men entered the women's facility and attacked female residents for hours, while Lowe and other guards stood by and did nothing.

"This federal civil rights action arises from a night of terror at the Clark County Jail ... On the night of October 23, and into the early morning hours of October 24, 2021, numerous male detainees used the keys obtained from LOWE to enter Pods 4(E) and 4(F) where they raped, assaulted, harassed, threatened and intimidated the Plaintiffs in this lawsuit, and other women, for several hours, resulting in significant physical and emotional injuries."

According to the lawsuit, at least two women were raped during the attack, and one of the victims became pregnant as a result of the assault and later miscarried.

"Since she had been in custody for numerous months, there is no chance she was pregnant before she entered the Clark County Jail," said William McCall, an attorney representing 20 of the women in the lawsuit. "My client had a miscarriage in December 2021."

Not only were the women brutalized, the lawsuit alleges, but they were subsequently subjected to harsh treatment from jail officials. After the attack, which was captured on jail surveillance, officers revoked the women's "dark" or "lights out" privileges at night, placed the residents in lockdown, and confiscated some of their personal belongings, including hygiene items.

Sheriff Jamey Noel is also named in the lawsuit.

"This was a complete and utter breakdown of the one thing that you should be relying, that you should be able to rely upon jails to provide and that's security. The response should be immediate. There are cameras in those pods specifically for that reason," said attorney Bart Betteau, who represents one of the women. "And when this happens, in the night, men crashing through the door and you have zero control from that moment on, maybe you can start to understand the damages these women went through."

Lowe was arrested within days of the incident and faces felony charges of escape, official misconduct, and trafficking with an inmate. His hearing is scheduled for November 2022. He has pled not guilty and told the Washington Post that the inmates stole the keys and that he had been "coerced and assaulted into making a false confession."

Lawsuit: Indiana corrections officer sold male inmates keys to women's facility, stood by during 'night of terror' that included rape resulting in miscarriage



Nearly 30 current and former inmates in the women's detention facility in Clark County, Indiana, have sued a local sheriff, a corrections officer, and several other "unknown jail officers," alleging that they either actively or passively permitted male inmates to access the female housing pod and inflict a "night of terror" on female detainees.

According to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in New Albany, Indiana, 28 women allege that David Lowe, a corrections officer at the Clark County Jail, sold male inmates the keys to the women's facility for $1,000. Then late in the evening of October 23, 2021, the men entered the women's facility and attacked female residents for hours, while Lowe and other guards stood by and did nothing.

"This federal civil rights action arises from a night of terror at the Clark County Jail ... On the night of October 23, and into the early morning hours of October 24, 2021, numerous male detainees used the keys obtained from LOWE to enter Pods 4(E) and 4(F) where they raped, assaulted, harassed, threatened and intimidated the Plaintiffs in this lawsuit, and other women, for several hours, resulting in significant physical and emotional injuries."

According to the lawsuit, at least two women were raped during the attack, and one of the victims became pregnant as a result of the assault and later miscarried.

"Since she had been in custody for numerous months, there is no chance she was pregnant before she entered the Clark County Jail," said William McCall, an attorney representing 20 of the women in the lawsuit. "My client had a miscarriage in December 2021."

Not only were the women brutalized, the lawsuit alleges, but they were subsequently subjected to harsh treatment from jail officials. After the attack, which was captured on jail surveillance, officers revoked the women's "dark" or "lights out" privileges at night, placed the residents in lockdown, and confiscated some of their personal belongings, including hygiene items.

Sheriff Jamey Noel is also named in the lawsuit.

"This was a complete and utter breakdown of the one thing that you should be relying, that you should be able to rely upon jails to provide and that's security. The response should be immediate. There are cameras in those pods specifically for that reason," said attorney Bart Betteau, who represents one of the women. "And when this happens, in the night, men crashing through the door and you have zero control from that moment on, maybe you can start to understand the damages these women went through."

Lowe was arrested within days of the incident and faces felony charges of escape, official misconduct, and trafficking with an inmate. His hearing is scheduled for November 2022. He has pled not guilty and told the Washington Post that the inmates stole the keys and that he had been "coerced and assaulted into making a false confession."