A judge has temporarily halted criminal proceedings against Carlos Medina, the suspect in the murder of Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell, due to concerns about Medina’s mental health.
The 63-year-old was supposed to attend a preliminary hearing to assess if there was enough evidence for a trial, but his lawyer argued that Medina is not sufficiently mentally competent to participate in his defense. As a result, a new hearing has been scheduled for October 31 to evaluate his mental health.
This shift to mental health court does not end the criminal case. If Medina is found mentally unfit for trial, he will receive treatment until he is deemed competent. If he is later found fit to stand trial, the criminal case will proceed. His defense team has not claimed that he was mentally incompetent or insane at the time of the alleged crime.
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Bishop O’Connell, 69, was a prominent member of the Los Angeles Catholic community. He was found dead in his home in Hacienda Heights on February 18, 2023. Medina — whose wife worked for O’Connell as a housekeeper — was arrested two days later, after a standoff with police. During the arrest, authorities recovered two firearms from Medina’s home.
Medina later confessed to the killing, though a motive has not been made public. He then pleaded not guilty in March 2023 to charges of murder and firearm use, facing up to 35 years in prison if convicted.
Early reports from law enforcement revealed that Bishop O’Connell had been shot in the chest. Later information from the District Attorney’s office clarified that the Bishop had been struck by multiple gunshots, with some reports suggesting up to five. Neighbors of Bishop O’Connell’s home did not hear any gunshots. They only noticed the deputies’ and paramedics’ arrival to the scene.
LifeNews Note: Louis Knuffke writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
