Overview
- A motion filed February 9 in Letcher Circuit Court requests a hearing under KRS 532.135 to assess whether Shawn “Mickey” Stines has a serious intellectual disability or serious mental illness.
- Defense attorneys ask that the hearing be set after a pending motion to recuse the presiding judge, and no later than 120 days before trial.
- Kentucky law requires a final determination at least 90 days before trial, and a qualifying finding would remove death-penalty instructions from jurors.
- The defense says some supporting materials will be submitted under seal and previously cited records describing Stines as in “active psychosis” days after the shooting.
- The court has not ruled on the request or set a hearing date, while prosecutors continue to cite courthouse surveillance video as central evidence.