Video showing a Kentucky judge being gunned down in his chambers was played Tuesday during a court hearing for the ex-sheriff who is charged in the killing that stunned their Appalachian community.

The short video clip was presented by prosecutors during the preliminary hearing for Shawn “Mickey” Stines, the former sheriff of Letcher County who is accused of fatally shooting District Judge Kevin Mullins on Sept. 19. Stines allegedly entered Mullins chambers at the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg and opened fire, police say.

Mullins, 54, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines, 43, surrendered without incident. Stines stepped down as sheriff Monday.

The video, with no audio, showed a man identified by police as Stines pulling out a gun and shooting the judge as he sat at his desk. The man walked around the desk, pointed the gun at the judge — who had fallen to the floor — and fired again, it showed. Some people in the courtroom gallery sobbed as the video was played, while Stines looked down.

Mullins died from multiple gunshot wounds, Kentucky State Police Detective Clayton Stamper testified Tuesday. Stines pleaded not guilty to murder last week and is being held in another Kentucky county.

Stines allegedly killed Mullins after an argument, Kentucky State Police spokesperson Matt Gayheart said after the shooting. Police did not reveal the nature of the argument.

“We know that it was an argument between the two that led up, but what exactly transpired prior to the shots being fired, that’s still things that we’re trying to get answers to,” Gayheart said at the time. He told reporters following the judge’s death that the shooting was an isolated incident.

Police have given no motive for the shooting involving two prominent members of the county near the Virginia border, but Stines’ defense team delved into what occurred beforehand — first when Stines and Mullins met for lunch that day and then in the moments before the gunfire.

Stamper, the lead police investigator in the case, said he reviewed video that showed Mullins’ chambers right before the shooting — a segment not played at the hearing.

Asked to describe what he saw, Stamper replied: “Sheriff Stines uses his telephone to make some phone calls. He then borrows Judge Mullins’ cellphone and appears to make a call on that.”

Stamper said he was told Stines had tried to call his daughter on his phone and the judge’s phone. He said police confirmed Stines’ daughter’s phone number was on the judge’s phone.

As for Stines’ reaction when he looked at the judge’s cellphone, Stamper said Stines’ face wasn’t shown in the video. The judge’s phone was found later on his desk and Stines’ phone was with him when he was arrested, Stamper said.

Investigators have found nothing to indicate the shooting was planned, the detective testified.

“It occurred after a phone call was made,” Stamper said later. “I don’t know what was said.”

Asked if the shooting was the result of recent content found on the phone, Stamper replied: “It could be, but I don’t know that for a fact.”

Both phones are being downloaded at a police forensics lab, he said.

When asked if he was aware of any prior issues, personal or professional, between the ex-sheriff and the judge, Stamper said he “heard things” regarding a lawsuit involving the sheriff’s office.

Stines had been deposed in a lawsuit filed by two women, one of whom alleged a deputy sheriff forced her to have sex inside Mullins’ chambers for six months in exchange for staying out of jail. The suit accuses the now-former sheriff of “deliberate indifference in failing to adequately train and supervise” the deputy.

The now-former deputy sheriff, Ben Fields, pleaded guilty to raping the female prisoner while she was on home incarceration. He was sentenced this year to six months in jail followed by six and half years on probation for rape, sodomy, perjury and tampering with a prisoner monitoring device, The Mountain Eagle reported. Three additional charges related to a second woman were dismissed because she is dead.

Stines fired Fields, his successor as Mullins’ bailiff, for “conduct unbecoming” after the lawsuit was filed in 2022, The Courier Journal reported at the time.

Other details about the events before and after the judge’s shooting death emerged during the hearing.

Police investigators found no weapon on Mullins or in his chambers, Stamper said.

On the day of the shooting, Mullins and Stines met for lunch with several other people at a restaurant near the courthouse in Whitesburg, the detective said.

“I was told that the judge made a statement to Mickey about, ‘Do we need to meet private in my chambers?'” Stamper said, adding that he didn’t know what it was about.

A handful of people were in a room next to Mullins’ chambers when the shots rang out. Stines was in custody by the time he arrived at the courthouse, Stamper said.

“He was mostly calm, I thought,” Stamper said. “I talked to him but he didn’t say nothing about why this had happened. But he was calm. … Basically all he said was ‘treat me fair.'”

At the end of the hearing, Judge Rupert Wilhoit III determined probable cause exists to believe Stines committed the crime, allowing the case to go to a grand jury to decide whether to indict Stines.

Stines’ defense team said they left the hearing with more questions than answers and said they are conducting their own “parallel investigation” of the case.

If convicted of murder, Stines could serve 20 years to life in prison. Since he’s accused of killing a public official, he could potentially face the death penalty.

If you’re considering a home equity loan, this could be an ideal time to explore your options. After all, homeowners have seen significant growth in their home equity over the past year and the average homeowner has about $327,000 in equity currently. Plus, with the Federal Reserve cutting its benchmark rate by 50 basis points recently, borrowing against that equity has become more affordable. So, for many, taking out a home equity loan now could be a cost-effective way to fund renovations, pay off high-interest debt or manage other large expenses.

Because home equity loans are secured by the value of your home, lenders are typically able to offer lower rates compared to other loan types — and the rates on home equity loans are fixed, providing you with predictable monthly payments, too. And when you factor in the recent rate reduction, you may be able to lock in an even better deal on this type of loan than normal, as home equity loan rates have dropped in recent weeks. 

However, it’s important to carefully evaluate the monthly payment obligations tied to any home equity loan you take out, particularly now that rates have been adjusted. So, how much would a $75,000 home equity loan cost per month in the current environment? 

Ready to tap into your equity? See what home equity loan rate you could qualify for here.

How much would a $75,000 home equity loan cost per month after rate cuts?

The monthly cost of a $75,000 home equity loan depends primarily on two factors: the interest rate you qualify for and the length of the repayment period. The rates you’re offered can vary depending on your credit score, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio and other factors, but there are two common repayment terms for home equity loans: 10 years and 15 years. 

The average 10-year fixed home equity loan rate stands at 8.50% currently, while the average rate for a 15-year loan is slightly lower at 8.41%. Based on the current average rates and terms, here’s what you might expect to pay each month on a $75,000 home equity loan:

• 10-year fixed home equity loan at 8.50%: $929.89 per month
• 15-year fixed home equity loan at 8.41%: $734.60 per month

These figures illustrate the trade-off between shorter and longer repayment terms. While the 10-year loan offers a higher monthly payment, it allows you to pay off the debt more quickly and potentially save on total interest over the life of the loan. Conversely, the 15-year option provides lower monthly payments, which may be more manageable for some borrowers, but results in paying more interest over time.

Find out what home equity loan rates are available to you here.

The impact of future Fed rate cuts

While today’s home equity loan rates are attractive overall, there may be potential for even greater savings soon. Analysts expect that if inflation continues to remain low or decrease, the Federal Reserve could implement additional rate cuts later this year — one in November and one in December. If these rate cuts occur, we could see home equity loan rates fall even further, leading to even more affordable borrowing costs.

For example, if a 25-basis-point rate cut occurs in November and home equity loan rates were to decrease by the same amount, bringing the rate for a 10-year loan down to 8.25%, the monthly payment on a $75,000 loan would decrease to $919.89, saving you about $10 per month compared to what you would pay at today’s rates. 

Similarly, if a 15-year loan rate dropped by 25 basis points to 8.16%, your monthly payment would fall to $723.68. That would result in monthly savings of $10.92 and total savings of about $1,980 in interest over the loan term. 

Now let’s say that home equity rates were to fall by 50 basis points in total, dropping the average 10-year home equity loan rate to 8.00% and the average 15-year home equity loan rate to 7.91%. That would lower the monthly payment on a 10-year home equity loan to $909.96, while the monthly payment on a 15-year home equity loan would fall to $712.85.

While the potential savings are worth considering, waiting for additional rate cuts could be risky, as predicting future rate movements is not an exact science — and any number of factors outside of Fed rate cuts can have an impact on where rates head. Given the risks, it could make more sense to secure a loan at today’s favorable rates rather than gamble on further reductions.

The bottom line

The recent interest rate cuts have made home equity loans more attractive than they’ve been in recent years, with a $75,000 loan potentially costing between about $735 and $930 per month, depending on the repayment term and current interest rates. However, it’s crucial to remember that home equity loan rates can vary significantly from one lender to another, so if you’re considering tapping into your home equity, it’s typically smart to shop around, compare offers from multiple lenders and be prepared to act quickly when you find a rate that aligns with your financial goals and budget constraints.