Trial of man accused of murdering Cork-born bishop in LA delayed
Bishop David O’Connell with Cleivi Jerez Arrendodo and her daughters, who he helped with rent after Cleivi’s husband Fernando was deported under the family separation policy introduced in the US in 2018.
The case of the man accused of the murder of Bishop David O’Connell in Los Angeles has been suspended pending a mental competency hearing next week.
Carlos Medina, the husband of Bishop David O’Connell’s housekeeper, is charged with the murder of the Brooklodge native at his home in Hacienda Heights in Los Angeles in February 2023. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He is also charged with a special allegation that he used a firearm during the commission of an offence.
The 69-year-old bishop’s killing was met with devastation by Catholics across the Los Angeles archdiocese, where he had served since his ordination in 1979. All county flags in Los Angeles were lowered to half-mast in his honour, while vigils were held nightly in the week after his death.
He was laid to rest in a crypt in Los Angeles Cathedral. An exhibit of some of his belongings has been opened in a church where he served.
At a pre-trial hearing in Los Angeles in recent days, Medina's attorneys raised concerns that he may not be fit to stand trial for the murder.
It had been expected that the preliminary hearing would be the first time that prosecutors in the high-profile case would present evidence in the case in open court. However, the case was suspended after Medina’s attorneys’ concerns were heard, and the case will next come to court for a competency hearing in Hollywood on October 31.
During next week’s hearing, the judge will have the option to direct that Medina be taken to a state mental health facility for a 72-hour treatment and evaluation. The judge will consider this before deciding if Medina is mentally competent to stand trial.
It is understood that the concerns of his legal team arise from interactions they have had with Medina since his arrest in February 2023.
His behaviour while in prison awaiting trial has also sparked concern, the court was told. He also was assessed by an independent expert who believed he was not able to stand trial.
Medina’s wife worked as a housekeeper for the bishop, while Medina himself also carried out some work for him on a number of occasions.
He was arrested after barricading himself into his home following the discovery of the bishop's body by a deacon who went to the house after Bishop O’Connell failed to turn up for a scheduled meeting.
If Medina is found mentally unfit to stand trial, he will be required to undergo psychiatric treatment by a licensed psychologist. Following that, the judge will decide on what options of treatment are required, which could include referral to a state mental health facility, for a period of up to four months.
After that, the court could grant additional time for treatment, or order that the criminal proceedings against him could continue. If convicted, Medina could face up to 35 years to life in prison.
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