(NewsNation) — Sheriff Shawn M. Stines allegedly shot and killed District Judge Kevin Mullins in Letcher County, Kentucky, on Thursday.
As the rural community processes the incident, more details are emerging about Stines’ ongoing legal battles and his disposition in the days leading up to the shooting.
Stines faces a civil lawsuit, filed by lawyer Ned Pillersdorf, alleging he ignored one of his subordinate’s sexual abuse toward women on house arrest.
The suit accuses Stines of “deliberate indifference in failing to adequately train and supervise” the deputy, Ben Fields, CBS reports.
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“In return for not reporting them for violating the terms of their probation, they would give sexual favors. Fields did that to approximately three women,” Pillersdorf said.
Some of the abuses happened in Mullins’ chambers, according to the attorney’s client.
“The tie-in to Judge Mullins is, according to the plaintiff … the sexual encounters occurred in the judge’s chambers,” he said, later clarifying that at least one sexual encounter happened in the chambers itself and another in its bathroom.
Earlier this year, Fields left the department, pleaded guilty to rape among other counts and was sentenced to six months in jail followed by 6 1/2 years on probation. The judge in that case was not Mullins but rather a judge from nearby Pike County.
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When asked if the civil suit has anything to do with Thursday’s incident — or whether Judge Mullins knew about the abuse in his chambers — Pillsersdorf said there is no way to know right now.
“Pure speculation. I don’t know … whether the lawsuit we filed had anything to do with the bizarre encounter and shocking killing, no telling,” he told NewsNation. “There’s certainly been a lot of social media chatter, but no telling.”
Pillersdorf confirmed that during Stines’ eight-hour deposition Monday, just days before the shooting, the sheriff appeared to be angry, agitated and defensive.
How was Kevin Mullins killed?
Stines allegedly walked into the judge’s outer office, then told court employees and others gathered there that he needed to speak with Mullins alone, according to The Mountain Eagle. Shortly after the two walked into the judge’s chambers, shots were heard. Then, Stines walked out with his hands up and surrendered to police.
State police say measures were made to attempt to save Mullins’ life, but none were successful. No other injuries were reported, according to NewsNation local affiliate WJHL.
NewsNation’s Rich Johnson contributed to this report.