LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former Kentucky sheriff charged with the fatal shooting of U.S. District Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers is building a defense around allegations that the judge was operating a brothel out of his courtroom, a claim made by a witness in an unrelated criminal case.
The allegations surfaced during the investigation of former deputy sheriff Ben Fields, who was convicted earlier this year on charges of rape, sodomy, perjury, and tampering with a prisoner monitoring device. Sabrina Adkins, a witness in the Fields case, alleged in a police interview that Judge Mullins exchanged sexual favors for legal leniency and permitted Fields and others to use his chambers for illicit activities.
“He does have some videotapes of some stuff in the judge’s chambers,” Adkins claimed in an audio recording obtained by NewsNation, adding, “Just with girls, sexual and stuff. I’ve seen one partly.” She also alleged that Fields coerced her into performing sexual acts in the judge’s chambers in exchange for tampering with her ankle monitor to avoid jail time.
Adkins’ claims are central to the civil lawsuit she filed in January 2022, in which she accused multiple officials, including Mullins and Fields, of misconduct. Her complaint detailed instances in which Fields allegedly used Mullins’ chambers as a location to assault her under the guise of official authority. “There were no cameras,” the lawsuit states, describing the chambers as a secluded space exploited by those in power.
The allegations took on new significance when former sheriff Shawn Stines, a close friend of Mullins for over 30 years, was deposed in Adkins’ lawsuit just three days before the fatal shooting. Stines’ attorney, Jeremy Bartley, has pointed to Adkins’ testimony and Fields’ criminal case as potential justification for Stines’ actions. “This is a large story. It’s a story that, in some ways, is difficult to tell,” Bartley said during a Nov. 25 court hearing, calling the allegations “crucial” to the defense.
Stines remains in custody while awaiting trial. The case has drawn national attention for its disturbing accusations against judicial officials and the implications they hold for corruption within the justice system.
