Kentucky Sheriff Accused of Killing Judge Named in Lawsuit Alleging Forced Sex in Judge's Office

The sheriff charged with murdering a Kentucky Judge Thursday was deposed in a lawsuit earlier Monday, alleging that the sheriff failed to prevent a deputy from repeatedly raping a female prisoner in the judge's office.

District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, died in his chambers inside Letcher County Courthouse Thursday after suffering multiple gun shot wounds.

Kentucky State Police charged Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. "Mickey" Stines, 43, with first degree murder for fatally shooting Mullins after the two had an argument inside the courthouse.

Mike Watts, Letcher County circuit court clerk, told ABC 7 the sheriff and judge had plans to have lunch together Thursday and to his knowledge, had a good working relationship. Stines served as bailiff in Mullin's courtroom for several years before he became sheriff.

Motive has not yet been determined, but Stines' recent deposition in a lawsuit is raising questions.

Stines' was deposed Monday in a lawsuit accusing him of "deliberate indifference in failing to adequately train and supervise" his deputy sheriff, Ben Fields.

Earlier this year, Fields was sentenced to seven years in prison for rape, sodomy, perjury and tampering with a prisoner monitoring device. Sabrina Adkins testified that while she was on home incarceration, Fields sexually abused her in the judge's chambers over a period of six months. In exchange, Fields, who served as Mullin's bailiff after Stines, would keep Adkins out of jail.

Fields was fired in 2022 by Stines for "conduct unbecoming," according to The Courier Journal.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his office will collaborate with a commonwealth's attorney in the region in the ongoing investigation of Mullins' death.