Mickey Stines: The Transcript

This episode of Hillbilly Crime examines the ongoing legal case involving former sheriff Mickey Stines, who is accused of shooting Judge Kevin Mullins (8:16 - 8:52). With the trial ordered to move out of Letcher County, the show highlights concerns that a jury unfamiliar with the local context may miss critical background information (4:02 - 6:06). Key areas of the discussion include: The Grand Jury Transcript: The defense, led by Jeremy Bartley, attached a grand jury transcript to a recent filing, arguing that the Commonwealth misled jurors by presenting an incomplete picture of Stines' mental state and ignoring specific questions raised by the grand jury about his health records (7:28 - 7:36, 21:54 - 23:34). Local Context vs. Headline News: The host argues that while the shooting was captured on video, the trial must address the "why"—including the Ben Fields civil case, a deposition held three days before the shooting, and allegations of threats or pressures Stines faced (6:10 - 7:28, 46:25 - 49:28). Mental Health Questions: The defense contends that investigators had access to records indicating Stines was experiencing an acute stress reaction and was later observed for psychosis, yet these findings were not adequately presented to the grand jury (32:46 - 35:25, 1:04:02 - 1:04:21). The Venue Change: The host expresses concern that moving the trial to a distant location, such as Bowling Green or Christian County, risks stripping the case down to a "simple headline" and ignoring the complicated web of local relationships and history that defined the situation (4:42 - 5:56, 1:07:33 - 1:08:04).