Former Eastern KY sheriff charged with killing judge wants special judge removed

Taylor Six, Lexington Herald-Leader on Dec 30, 2025

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Former Letcher County sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, who shot and killed a Kentucky judge inside the judge’s chambers last year, is asking for a special judge to be removed from the case.

Stines, 44, argues special judge Christopher Cohron, of Bowling Green, Ky., may be partial because he sat next to District Judge Kevin Mullins at a conference where Mullins discussed humane treatment of women inmates one week before Mullins was shot and killed.

Stines was charged with murder in September 2024 after video footage showed him shooting the judge multiple times. Stines’ lawyers have said they plan to present an extreme emotional disturbance, or insanity, defense.

The judges’ conference, held Sept. 12, 2024, seven days before the shooting, included judges from across the state discussing mental health. According to Stines’ lawyers, Cohron and Mullins sat “inches apart” during the two-hour meeting, and Cohron failed to disclose the interaction when he was appointed as special judge presiding over Stines’ case.

Mullins’ wife was also at the meeting, Stines’ lawyers say. Mullins discussed legislation he intended to implement in Letcher County called “Women’s Dignity Law,” which outlined humane treatment of women inmates.

That meeting could prompt confusion for Cohron, Stines’ lawyers say, as several women have accused Mullins of having knowledge of sexual exploitation involving women in the Letcher County justice system, and at least one woman has said Mullins exploited women himself.

Just days before the shooting, Stines gave a “tense” deposition in a separate lawsuit accusing one of Stines’ deputies of sexually assaulting women in Mullins’ chambers. Stines’ lawyer, Jeremy Bartley, has said that deposition would be key to his client’s defense.

“The eyes of the world have been upon this litigation,” Bartley wrote in the motion, filed Tuesday. “The visual optics in this case must demonstrate impartiality.”

Bartley is asking for Cohron to either recuse himself, or for the chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court to remove Cohron from the case.

It was not clear Tuesday when a potential ruling would be made.

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