Could This Sheriff Escape Murder Charges On Judge With an Insanity Defense

Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary

True Crime Today

True Crime, News Commentary, News

3.3 • 907 Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In a case that has shaken Kentucky’s legal system to its core, former Sheriff Shawn "Mickey" Stines is standing trial for the brutal murder of Judge Kevin Mullins—right inside the courthouse where they both held power. But this isn’t just another crime story. Beneath the surface lies a tangled web of corruption, scandal, and long-buried secrets that may have led to this shocking execution. Could this murder have been a desperate act to cover up a courthouse sex scandal? Or was it the breaking point of a man unraveling under immense pressure?
As Stines prepares to argue insanity in his defense, the legal battle ahead is set to be one of the most explosive courtroom showdowns in Kentucky history. The prosecution is pushing for a life sentence—or even the death penalty—while the defense fights to introduce evidence of Mullins’s alleged misconduct. Meanwhile, the entire justice system is under scrutiny, as the case threatens to expose a deeper culture of corruption that may have been ignored for far too long.

In this gripping episode, we take you inside the crime, the scandal, and the trial that could change everything. With expert insights, shocking details, and the latest developments, we break down how this case could impact not just the accused—but the entire justice system itself. Subscribe now and join us as we uncover what really happened inside the halls of power, where justice was meant to be served—but instead, became the scene of a murder.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Select fully managed iPhone, iPad and Mac for your employees no matter where they work.
0:07.0	Select a sustainable and affordable trade in an upgrade plan with access to local Apple experts across the UK.
0:15.0	Select fewer worries for your business.
0:18.0	Select Apple Business Partners, local to you.
0:23.4	Visit selectonline.com forward slash business to speak to the team.
0:30.8	This is Hidden Killers with Tony Brewski.
0:34.9	They say justice is blind. But in Leicester County, Kentucky, it was shot dead in cold blood.
0:45.5	September 19th of 2024 is what we're talking about, a Thursday morning like any other,
0:53.4	until it wasn't inside the Lecter County Courthouse.
0:58.8	What happened?
1:00.4	Judge Kevin Mullen sat behind his desk going about his usual routine.
1:05.6	Just before 10 a.m., Sheriff Sean Mickey Steins walked into his chambers and changed the course of history.
1:14.7	Without warning, he pulled out a handgun and fired.
1:19.1	The first shot was enough to put Mullins down.
1:22.9	The next few were just to make sure.
1:26.9	Surveillance cameras caught it all, no sound, just the cold
1:30.7	clinical footage of a man executing a sitting judge. Here's where things get strange. After making
1:40.0	absolutely sure the judge was dead, Steins didn't flee. He didn't fight. He calmly walked to the
1:47.8	nearest deputy, handed over his gun, and surrendered without a struggle, almost like he had just
1:54.3	checked off an errand on his to-do list. Get up this morning, take the dogs out, drive the kids to school, shoot the judge, get arrested, spend my life in prison.
2:07.8	The courthouse went into lockdown. People were screaming. Staff barricaded themselves in offices.
2:15.3	Within minutes, law enforcement flooded the scene, not as Stein's backup,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from True Crime Today, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of True Crime Today and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.