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Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A former Kentucky county sheriff accused of fatally shooting a judge in his courthouse chambers in September has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder. Shawn "Mickey" Stines, the 43-year-old former sheriff of Letcher County, Ky., was arraigned Monday in the same courthouse where he is accused of killing District Judge Kevin Mullins.
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Stines' attorney, Kerri Bartley, entered his not-guilty plea before state Judge Julia Adams, who presided over the arraignment.
Adams told the packed court that Stines would be held without bond.
Stines was arrested Sept. 19 by Kentucky State Police officers responding to shots fired at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg, located in southeastern Kentucky.
Mullins was found suffering from gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
No motive has been provided, but authorities stated following the incident that the shooting followed an unspecified argument between Mullins and Stines in the courthouse chambers.
Stines retired days after his arrest under pressure from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky General Counsel S. Travis Mayo.
On Thursday, it was announced that a Letcher County Grand Jury had indicted Stines on one count of murder of a public official. If convicted, Stines could face the death penalty.
