On Friday, September 20, 2024, WHAS11 reported that the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Letcher County in Kentucky, Matt Butler, had recused himself from the criminal case against Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Stines. According to the Kentucky State Police, Sheriff Stines had shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times inside the judge’s chambers at the Letcher County courthouse following a disagreement. Sheriff Stines was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.
In a video posted to social media, Butler explained that he had to recuse himself from the case due to his close relationships with both the victim and the accused. Butler noted that he had worked alongside Sheriff Stines frequently in the courtroom. Additionally, Judge Mullins had previously served as an assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney when Butler was a public defender, and the two had tried many cases against each other. Butler described Judge Mullins as a respected colleague and brother-in-law.
With Butler unable to act as prosecutor, responsibility for the case was handed to the Kentucky Attorney General’s office. They will work alongside Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele of Laurel and Knox Counties to build the criminal case against Sheriff Stines.
In his video, Butler also called to address the community to refrain from spreading rumors and speculating about the case, out of respect for the grieving families involved. He noted that his own children had lost their uncle, while his nieces had lost their father in the tragedy.
Butler stressed the need for safety improvements at the Letcher County courthouse, which currently lacks basic security measures like metal detectors at the entrance. He advocated for moving his own office to a safer location within the building and boosting compensation for his staff, one of whom had witnessed the shooting.
Source: WHAS11
