Greene man sentenced after police standoff

STANARDSVILLE — Sitting two rows behind her husband in the courtroom, Mary Mullins jotted down his sentence on an envelope.

It totaled seven years.

Jonithan Tracy Mullins silently turned back to look at his wife once more before returning to jail.

He’s a much calmer man than he was May 13, Mary Mullins said. That day, he incited a police standoff, which ended when a deputy shot him in the arm.

Jonithan Mullins, 34, entered Alford pleas Thursday to three charges of attempting malicious wounding, allowing him to maintain his innocence while noting that the prosecution had enough evidence to convict him at a trial. He also pleaded guilty in Greene County Circuit Court to a felony and a misdemeanor gun charge.

Circuit Judge Daniel R. Bouton sentenced Mullins to 20 years in prison, but suspended all but seven years. Under a plea agreement, Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronald Morris won’t prosecute two other gun charges.

Although Mary Mullins acknowledges that her husband was responsible for his actions last spring, she said his mental health was a factor. Jonithan Mullins, who suffers from bipolar disorder, checked into the hospital on May 2 and was put on a new medication. His wife said the doctors released him May 7 despite his protests to stay and stabilize.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder is a brain condition characterized by mood swings between mania and depression. The mood changes can be managed with medication and/or psychotherapy.

“If there is anybody out there who stays up all night, or feels depressed, or doesn’t feel right or safe, they should get medical help right away,” Mary Mullins said. “This illness plays tricks on you.”

Standoff

The Mullinses met in 2004 while they were both hospitalized. Both suffered from bipolar disorder — Mary Mullins had a breakdown, Jonithan Mullins had just been diagnosed.

About 5.7 million adults in the United States suffer from bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Most develop symptoms as a teenager or young adult, although not all cases are diagnosed immediately.

Jonithan Mullins helped Mary Mullins through her breakdown, and the two soon fell in love. The couple got married and had children. The family was planning to move in May to South Carolina for Jonithan Mullins’ job as a heavy equipment operator, but he lost it in the days after his hospital stay.

Around 5:30 p.m. May 13, the Mullins’ neighbors on Spotswood Trail heard about 10 gunshots from across the street. Deputies responded to a house nearby, Morris said, where his relatives told law enforcement that he was drinking, was bipolar and wanted to commit suicide.

Jonithan Mullins also called 911. He eventually asked Cpl. Joseph Hogsten to call him on his cell phone because he knew him, Morris said in court. Hogsten came to the scene and stayed on the phone with him, eventually convincing him to put down his gun for a moment.

For about 30 minutes, Morris said, Mullins alternately walked inside and shot rounds from a .44 Magnum outside. His neighbors across the street went into the basement to avoid the gunfire.

“This was a dangerous and terrifying event brought on by the defendant because of his choice in drinking that day,” Morris said.

The prosecutor said in court that Mullins had a 0.12 blood-alcohol content six hours after the incident.

The attempted malicious wounding charges correspond to three deputies. Morris said in court that Mullins shot at deputies Fredith Ramirez and William Duncan while they were in a car near his home, and raised his gun toward Hogsten. The incident ended when Hogsten shot him.

Greene Sheriff J. Scott Haas said Thursday that he is proud of how his deputies de-escalated the sitaution.

“The police are very much into preserving life,” Haas said. “You can see how long they waited … immediately after they handcuffed him, they went right into treatment of the wound.”

Defense attorney Michael Hallahan said in court that his client never intended to hurt the officers, referencing the “suicide by cop” phenomenon. The lawyer said Mullins would have faced 11 to 40 years if convicted by a jury.

“He wanted to be there for his family and cut his losses,” Hallahan said.

Moving on

After prison, Mullins will serve five years of supervised probation, 15 years of good behavior and substance abuse and mental health treatment. Hallahan estimates that Mullins will serve five years and one month in prison, shortened in part due to the 10 months he has already served.

He also faces punishment in two other Virginia localities for violating the terms of his probation. Morris said in court that Mullins’ prior felonies were nonviolent and drug-related.

Mary Mullins is sure five years will pass quickly, taken up by her children’s activities, church and time spent with family and friends. She said her husband has been stable since August and talks to the kids daily on the phone. Once he can hold them during visitation, she said, she’ll take the kids to see him.

When she can’t see her husband, Mary Mullins said he will always have her support.

“He’s the love of my life,” she said. “I don’t care how long he’s gone.”