At a hearing Thursday, special Judge Eddy Coleman heard arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys about a bail reduction requested by the man accused of stabbing a woman to death in Floyd County.

Amber Spradlin, 38, was found dead on June 18, 2023, at the home of prominent Prestonsburg dentist Michael McKinney II. Investigators would later reveal that he was stabbed 12 times in the head, neck and torso.

More than a year later, police charged McKinney’s son, Michael “MK” McKinney III, with murder and tampering with multiple counts of evidence in the case.

Michael McKinney II and family friend Josh Mullins were also indicted on multiple counts of complicity in tampering with evidence.

On Thursday, three motions filed by MK McKinney’s lawyers were brought up for debate. His lawyers were seeking a bail reduction, additional discovery and for prosecutors to use polygraph results in the case.

Lawyers and prosecutors in the case had agreed to additional discovery requests and polygraph evidence before Thursday’s hearing, leaving only the bond request to be decided.

Judge Coleman said at the end of Thursday’s hearing that he would take the allegations to recommendation and issue an order with his decision, possibly by the end of the week.

Bond discount request

In their motion to reduce MK McKinney’s bail, his lawyers outlined evidence they said would link Roy Kidd — who has not been charged with any crime — to Spradlin’s death rather than McKinney.

His lawyers argue that MK McKinney was in custody for 13 months without incident before being charged after Spradlin’s death, and that his lack of a criminal record indicates he is not a public safety risk or flight risk.

“Over a year, the rumors and ‘Facebook Trial’ grew in intensity, and pressure from public officials to hold someone responsible for Amber’s death reached a fever pitch,” her attorneys wrote in the motion. “Despite all this, the Defendant continued to remain in Floyd County when he was not in Morehead. Even as billboards on public highways called for prosecutorial action and community members passionately denounced the Defendant, he remained with his family in Floyd County. Michael McKinney III “He never intended to escape, in fact it is impossible for him to escape.”

Steven Romines, one of MK McKinney’s lawyers, said at Thursday’s hearing that his client should legally be allowed bail. He noted that it could take years for evidence in the case to be processed. He also cited MK McKinney’s lack of a prior criminal record.

Argument against bond discounting

In their response to reducing MK McKinney’s bail, prosecutors said the evidence “strongly incriminates” him. They asked the court not to reduce bail, saying he was “mentally unstable and a danger to society.”

Prosecutors’ response to the motion also summarized evidence not previously made public, including a description of the DNA evidence in the case.

Depending on the answer, investigators were able to connect the DNA found under Spradlin’s fingernails to either MK McKinney, her father, or one of her “paternal relatives.”

Prosecutors emphasized in their response that the DNA evidence did not match Josh Mullins or Roy Kidd, the other men allegedly in the house that night.

Prosecutors also wrote that MK McKinney had “multiple suspicious scratches on both arms” when he was photographed by police three days after Spradlin’s death.

At Thursday’s hearing, Romines argued that witnesses said MK McKinney had scratches on his arms before Spradlin’s death. One of those witnesses was Roy Kidd, Romines said.

Prosecutors also stated in their response that instead of calling 9-1-1 after finding Spradlin dead, Michael McKinney II made an 8-minute call to then-Prestonsburg City Police Chief Randy Woods.

Prosecutors also noted that two cameras allegedly missing from the home were found after Spradlin’s death.

A woman who was both a longtime maid and was staying in the house at the time told investigators that a camera was usually found on the living room mantle, aiming for the sofa where the murder was believed to have occurred. When the investigation into Spradlin’s death began, both the camera and the camera usually found in the basement were gone, according to prosecutors.

Request for polygraph results

McKinney’s attorney demanded that prosecutors turn over the results of a polygraph examination performed on Roy Kidd.

They again summarized the evidence in the case involving Kidd, including allegations that he was the person who found Spradlin’s body and Kidd’s “violent and out-of-control behavior” in the early morning of Spradlin’s death.

In response to the motion, prosecutors wrote that Kidd passed a polygraph exam on the question “whether he stabbed or cut Amber Spradlin,” but that the results would not be admitted at trial. Still, prosecutors wrote they would present the results to the defense.

Additional discovery request

Additional discovery requested by McKinney’s attorneys included multiple witness interviews and telephone evidence from Amber Spradlin, Roy Kidd and others.

Prosecutors wrote in response to the motion that they were working on a second round of discovery and requested 30 days to provide it.