The judge refused to dismiss Indictment for murder The former Kentucky sheriff accused of murdering a judge in a courtroom, but will allow a hearing for the former lawman now imprisoned for more than a year, according to rulings released Thursday.
At the next hearing, defense attorneys cannot discuss the contents of the sealed document Mental health assessment Former Letcher County Sheriff Sean “Mickey” Staines, Circuit Judge Christopher Cohron said. A hearing date was not immediately set by Cohron, who is serving as a special judge in the case.
“A bail hearing is not a rehearsal for trial,” Cohron said in Wednesday’s ruling.
In granting the defense’s request for a bail hearing, the judge said: “The court will first hear the evidence to determine whether the defendant is bailable. If the defendant is found to be bailable, the court may then consider setting bail.”
Staines is Accused of murder District Judge Kevin Mullins in September 2024 in court in Whitesburg. Security camera footage From Mullins’ rooms it showed a man identified by police as Staines pointing a gun and shooting Mullins. Mullins died at the scene and Staines, who was sheriff at the time, surrendered without incident.
Steins did He pleaded not guilty In a case of murder of a public employee.
Whether the bond is justified For the former mayor it was an ongoing issue. In August, defense attorneys recommended a $50,000 bail, saying Staines was not a flight risk and posed no danger to himself or the community. Prosecutors countered that Staines was not entitled to bond, citing a section of the Kentucky Constitution that states the right to bail does not apply to people accused of capital crimes.
Staines’ attorney did not immediately return a phone call and email Thursday seeking comment on the judge’s rulings. Prosecutors say they are limited in discussing an ongoing case.
Authorities have not revealed a possible motive for the shooting that surprised residents of Whitesburg, an Appalachian town located about 100 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Lexington, Kentucky, near the Virginia border.
Staines and Mullins had known each other for years. On the day of the shooting, they met for lunch with several other people, a Kentucky State Police investigator said at an earlier hearing. During lunch, the judge apparently asked Staines if they needed to meet privately.
Staines resigned as sheriff days after the shooting and was being held without bail.
In his other rulings, Cohron denied defense requests to dismiss the indictment and disclose the former mayor’s mental health evaluation. In the motion to dismiss, the defense’s arguments included allegations that prosecutors elicited false and misleading testimony, distorting the grand jury proceedings. The judge ruled that prosecutors had met the legal burden to present evidence to the grand jury showing probable cause in the case.
Staines’ attorneys argued that the former sheriff suffered “severe emotional distress” before the shooting. In a document A few days after the shooting, a social worker who met Staines in prison said he remained in an “active state of psychosis” and did not seem to understand the criminal charge against him.
His lawyers indicated that their defense would focus on claiming insanity or extreme emotional distress.
In a previous court session, a horrific video was revealed showing the judge being shot dead. The video, without sound, showed a man identified by police as Staines pulling out a gun and shooting the judge, who was sitting at his desk. The photo showed the man walking around the office, pointed the gun at the judge – who crouched behind the desk for cover – and then fired again.
Staines likely faces the death penalty if convicted, but prosecutors have not yet filed notice with the court on whether they will seek the death penalty.