Mountain Top Media
Stines to appeal judge’s ruling denying bond
WHITESBURG, Ky. — The former sheriff charged with murder for the shooting death of a judge is taking his plea for bond to a higher court.
Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn Mickey Stines is charged in the Sept. 19, 2024, shooting death of Letcher District Judge Kevin Mullins, who was killed inside his chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse. He has been held in jail without bond since his arrest minutes after the shooting.
Under Kentucky law, defendants charged with a capital crime are not automatically eligible for bail and can be held pending trial if the proof they committed the charged offense is evident and the presumption of guilt is great. Prosecutors have said that burden was met by courthouse security video that captured the shooting.
But during a June 5 hearing in Leslie County, Stones’ aunt, Sherri Stones, that his behavior the night before the shooting was unusual, that he had been under significant stress and had gone seven days without sleep. She also testified that he was afraid someone was going to hurt his wife and daughter and that he asked to speak with his deceased grandmother on the day of the shooting.
Stines’ attorneys pointed out that her testimony provided evidence of extreme emotional disturbance, which could result in a finding that he is guilty of manslaughter, which is not a capital crime, instead of murder. They argued that since there was a reasonable chance a jury could find him guilty of the lesser charge, he should be eligible for bond.
Special Judge Christopher Conroy disagreed in an order issued Aug. 11 ruling that Stines would be held without bond pending the outcome of his case.
On Friday, Stines’ attorneys filed notice that they intend to file for an expedited appeal of that decision to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
No record of the appeal is yet available on the Court of Appeals website.
A copy of the appeal notice follows:
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Logan County man indicted on child exploitation charges
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Logan County man who was arrested earlier this year on child porn charges is now facing even more serious charges in federal court.
Clinton Gene McNeely, 31, of Lyburn, was arrested back in January on a charge of distributing and exhibiting material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. That charge is a felony punishable by 2-to-10 years in prison.
But now McNeely potentially faces a much longer sentence, after he was indicted this week on three counts of sexual exploitation of children, three counts of possessing or receiving child porn, and one count of transportation of obscene matter for sale.
He is accused of coercing children in Logan and Mingo counties to engage in sexually explicit conduct that was transmitted live over the internet.
The exploitation charges are the most serious, carry potential sentences of between 15 years and life in prison.
McNeely is scheduled to appear in Charleston federal court on Tuesday.
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