The Kentucky sheriff charged in a fatal shooting is retiring

The Kentucky sheriff accused of fatally shooting a judge in his office is retiring, according to a letter from the murder suspect’s attorney.

Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, which authorities said occurred Sept. 19 in his chambers at the courthouse of Letcher County was shot.

Stines “made the difficult decision” to retire on Monday, attorneys Jeremy Bartley and Kerri Bartley said in a letter to S. Travis Mayo, assistant counsel in the Kentucky governor’s office.

“This decision is not made as a result of an ultimatum or in any way a concession to any claims made by the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” the letter said. “Rather, Sheriff Stines made this decision to allow a successor to continue to protect his beloved constituents while he deals with the legal proceedings before him.”

Stines pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge in his first court appearance last week.

There was no discussion of a bond during the hearing, Lexington ABC affiliate WTVQ reported.

He is expected back in court on Tuesday.

Stines could face the death penalty if convicted, according to a special judge presiding over the case.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had previously called on Stines to resign by September 27 following the incident. If not, Beshear said there is a “removal process” he could begin.

“Every county in Kentucky needs an active, working sheriff,” Beshear said at an unrelated news conference last week. “There is currently no active or working sheriff in Letcher County.”

Mullins was found with multiple gunshot wounds after a 911 caller reported shots fired at the courthouse, and Stines was taken into custody at the courthouse without incident, police said.

According to Kentucky State Police, the shooting is believed to have occurred “following an altercation at the courthouse” and investigators are still looking for a motive.

The two had lunch together the day of the shooting, Letcher County Executive Mike Watts told WTVQ.

Days before the shooting, Stines was deposed in a lawsuit alleging he failed to investigate one of his deputies who sexually assaulted a woman in Mullins’ chambers.