Judge orders mental competency evaluation for L.A. bishop’s alleged murderer

CNA Staff, Oct 18, 2024 / 16:45 pm

A judge suspended the criminal proceedings of the alleged murderer of a beloved California bishop as courts evaluate whether the 64-year-old man is mentally fit for trial. 

Carlos Medina was charged with murder last year for allegedly shooting and killing Bishop David O’Connell, Los Angeles’ 69-year-old auxiliary bishop, in his home in Hacienda Heights.

Medina’s attorney argued that he was not mentally fit to stand trial on Thursday, according to a report by the L.A. Times. The criminal proceedings were suspended after a judge ordered that he be evaluated to see whether he can comprehend the charges and help the attorneys in his defense.

A deacon found O’Connell in his home on Feb. 18, 2023, when he went to check on the bishop after he failed to show up for a meeting. When authorities arrived, they discovered O’Connell with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

A manhunt ensued over the following days, leading to the arrest of Medina, the husband of O’Connell’s housekeeper. Medina has since admitted to murdering the bishop, according to Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón.

But L.A. County Deputy Public Defender Pedro Cortes said that due to Medina’s mental health, he had doubts about the accused’s ability to defend himself. Medina did not appear in court for the preliminary hearing on Thursday, a proceeding that would have determined if there was enough evidence to go to trial.

Medina is set to appear at Hollywood Superior Court on Oct. 31 for court proceedings to evaluate his mental health. If he is found incompetent to stand trial, he will be treated until he is found competent. His proceedings will resume if he is found mentally competent. If convicted, Medina faces 35 years to life in prison. 

Medina was formally charged in February 2023 with one count of murder and a special allegation that he used a firearm.

Medina’s wife was the bishop’s housekeeper and Medina, a handyman, often worked on the home. There were no signs of forced entry. The motive for the murder remains unclear.

Medina was discovered after a tipster reported that Medina was exhibiting “strange” and “irrational behavior,” according to Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna. Police identified a dark-colored compact SUV similar to Medina’s vehicle in video footage of the bishop’s house on the day of O’Connell’s murder. 

A native of Ireland, O’Connell was named a bishop in 2015. The news of his murder last year shocked the local and wider Catholic community, who remembered him as a Christ-like man of deep prayer who was dedicated to serving the poor and immigrants.