Sexual abuse alleges Mickey Stein’s stubborn court allegedly murdering a judge
In September 2024, authorities said they were former. Letcher County, Kentucky Sheriff Sean “Mickey” Stins unexpectedly shot District Judge Kevin Mullins in Mullins’ room, which he had known for decades.
The shooting, caught up in surveillance footage, shook Whitesburg, a small town in eastern Kentucky, and then captivated the world of true crime.
Stines’ attorneys said the events that led to the shooting began several years ago in a civil lawsuit against a former Letcher County Sheriff’s deputy. He reportedly raped a female defendant. Who was the bond?
The suit also named Stins the defendant.

District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was killed by Letcher County Sheriff Sean M. Stins, 43, in the judge’s room, authorities said. (Kentucky Court of Justice Letcher County Sheriff’s Office)
Below is a complete timeline of events that provide the context for filming.
January 31, 2022: Women file a civil sexual abuse lawsuit
A woman named Sabrina Adkins filed a civil lawsuit He claimed former Letcher County Sheriff Deputy Ben Fields that she exploited her for sexual favors while she was incarcerated at home.
According to the lawsuit, Adkins found a home and was struggling to pay for her GPS ankle monitor when he told her he was certain Field was “something to go through.” She allegedly forced Fields into sexual activity six times inside Mullins’ room, in exchange for removing the ankle monitor while incarcerated at home, and removed fees related to the ankle monitor.
She was arrested when she stopped offering sexual favors, according to the lawsuit.
Stines, the supervisor of Fields, was appointed defendant in the case, claiming that he was unable to properly train and supervise the field.

Letcher County Courthouse on Friday, September 20, 2024 in Whitesburg, Kentucky. (Clare Grant / Courier Journal / USA Today Network via imagn Images)
Her attorney in an ongoing civil lawsuit is Ned Pillardorf. He said at one point that Field instructed Adkins to provide sexual favors to third parties, and that there were other women who were also abused.
“My general concern as a criminal defense lawyer… they were running brothels from that court,” Pillard told Fox News Digital. “I mean, pimping – at least three women we know, but I think it’s higher.”
“(Field) gave this other guy an adkins,” he said. “He had her in some connecting fields, he made her ring to this guy.”
“If you’re an ankle bracelet or a woman caught up in a drug court, a quick call to the judge might be in prison,” he said. “So they’re pushing it very easily. These women think they’re incredible.”
After the allegations were made, the camera was mounted on the wall of Mullins’ room.
September 29, 2022: Former Letcher County Sheriff’s Deputy
A few months after the civil suit was filed, Fields was charged with two counts of three rape, two counts of sodomy, tampering with prisoner surveillance equipment, and one double perjury related to the Adkins case.
Adkins said that in his deposition with criminal case investigator Matthew Easter, gender in exchange for favorable treatment in Letcher County’s criminal justice system was common, and many other women faced the same exploitation.
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January 4, 2024: Fields has been sentenced to prison for rape case
Fields pleaded guilty to all charges in his criminal case and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
September 16, 2024: Steins abdicated in Adkins’ civil lawsuit
A few months after Fields was reported to prison, Stins abdicated in Adkins’ civil lawsuit.
According to Stines’ attorney Jeremy Bartley, a few days before the deposition, Stines was extremely paranoid and unable to sleep, worried about the safety of his family.
“This civil lawsuit brought a lot of attention to what was happening in the court,” Burtley said. “And actually, if you look at it, it was because of this case. That’s why the camera was placed in the judge’s room. This is a very rare and very unusual concern that the court’s administrative office would place security cameras on the judge’s chamber of commerce.”
The alleged threat to his family drove Steen at the edge, Bartley said.

Shawn “Mickey” Stins was charged with murder on September 19, 2024 in Letcher County, Kentucky. (Letcher County Sheriff’s Office)
Kentucky Sheriff is seen in footage of judges during shocking preliminary hearing
“On the day this (shooting) happened, my client had tried many times to contact his wife and daughter. He firmly believed they were in danger,” Burtley said.
“He believed they were at risk because of what they knew what happened in the court, and there was pressure. And there was a threat put on him to keep him like he was lined up, and these people didn’t want him to say.”
September 19, 2024, noon: Stin, Marin and friends have lunch
In the middle of the day, along with a colleague in the attic, Stins and Mullins had lunch together at the Street Side Bar & Grill, within walking distance of the courthouse.
According to a video obtained by Fox News Digital, people in court when the shooting rang were interviewed by Kentucky State Police shortly after the shooting, explaining they were acting strangely before lunch and before lunch.
“Mickey came (to the courthouse) this morning… he seemed to be just a little far away,” the witness said. “But he was just like walking back and forth.”
“He was acting strangely at lunchtime,” another witness said. Part of the luncheon said it was about Stins’ potential re-election as sheriff.
“I don’t know if this is a problem, but I’m going to tell you because it’s weird to me anyway,” the witness told the detective. “He leaned into his chair at lunchtime and they were talking about reelection. He said, ‘Oh, I won’t get to the next election.’ ”
September 19, 2024, afternoon: Stein and a friend deliver food
Just before the shooting, Stins and his friend Michael Clark. Drug Rehabilitation According to Bartley, the company affiliated with the county drove to deliver food to disabled people who were unable to leave the house.
“In a period after my client left lunch with the people in the courtroom, he and others purchased the ingredients in the name of Michael Clark,” Burtley said. “They went out and picked up lunch and other foods, which they were delivering to people who were sick or had restrictions that they couldn’t get the food they needed.
He explained that this is routine for Stins, and that the person who Stins delivered the food when he arrived was at home. That day he wasn’t, it burned more delusions.
“When they went to deliver these items… the gentleman’s family showed him somewhere else,” he said. “This raised a lot of concern from my clients. So after they dropped the food box with their family, they left and returned to court.”
Clark spoke with Fox News Digital earlier this week about the birth incident.
“He was paranoid all day,” Clark said.
“So we went to the place to deliver the food. It was in a different house or somewhere else than he was supposed to have thought,” Clark said. “I really didn’t even know where we were going. I went with him because we got involved in it and helped with it, and I think it made it worse.
Late afternoon, September 19, 2024: Mullins was shot in Chambers

Former Letcher County Sheriff Sean “Mickey” Stin can be seen pointing his gun at District Court Judge Kevin Mullins. (Letcher County Handouts)
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Surveillance video, taken from Mullins’ room, was seen by a group of people who were in a sincere chatting with the judge for more than 12 minutes before Stins entered the office and asked everyone to leave.
Over the next seven minutes, Stins and Mullins spoke personally before it appeared that Stins had gotten up and locked up the door to the room.
Marine then handed over the phone to Stins.
After peering into the judge’s phone, Stines couldn’t answer after calling his daughter from the judge’s phone before throwing the phone back to the judge’s desk. You can enter videos with daughter numbers while looking at her phone to see her daughter’s numbers. Stines’ daughter seemed not to be saved by Mullins’ contact information.
He then stood up, released the pistol and was said to have moved horribly towards the Mullins. Kill the judge.
September 19, 2024, evening: Kentucky State Police Hold Press Conference
After interviewing witnesses at the scene, Kentucky State Police held a press conference explaining the events of the day.
“A preliminary investigation showed that Sheriff Mickey Shawn fired fire on District Court Judge Kevin Mullins following discussion within the court,” the trooper told reporters.
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He added that Stines was safely taken into custody and is working with law enforcement agencies, supported by videos obtained by Fox News Digital.
November 21, 2024: The big ju judge indicts Stin

Former Letcher County Kentuff Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” wipes his eyes as he listens to his testimony during his arrest in Morgan County Courthouse in West Liberty, Kentucky on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Stins is accused of the shooting death of District Judge Kevin Mullins. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
New video shows the Kentucky Sheriff pointing his gun at a judge before the fatal shooting
In November, the large ju judge indicted Stins. The one-line charges accusing him of being sick of murder.
“On September 19, 2024, in Letcher County, Kentucky, the defendant with the above-named crime committed when he illegally shot Letcher County District Court Judge Kevin Mullins, thereby causing his death.
Since the indictment:
Since Stines was indicted, his defense attorney Bartley has made several moves on his behalf.
Most notably, Bartley has planned on a crazy defense and filed an application telling the court that he “will present a crazy defense and a defense of extreme emotional obstruction.”

Defence counsel Jeremy Burtley questioned KSP detective Clayton Stamper during a preliminary hearing for Sean “Mickey” Stin in Morgan County District Court. October 1, 2024 (Scott Utterback / Courier Journal / USA Today Network Imagn Images)
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The submission states that he “will present expert evidence regarding mental illness or defects or mental conditions related to guilt and punishment issues.”
Prosecutor Jackie Steele did not reply to requests for comment.