Almost Three Years After A Catholic Bishop Was Killed, There’s Still No Trial — Here’s Why
February will mark three years since high-profile Los Angeles Bishop David O’Connell, 69, was gunned down in his own home — but despite an alleged confession and a suspect in custody since 2023, the case remains frozen in procedural limbo.
Carlos Medina, a 64-year-old handyman whose wife worked as O’Connell’s housekeeper, was arrested two days after the killing following citizen tips, according to the Union of Catholic Asian News. A law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that Medina confessed to the murder.
Yet Los Angeles Superior Court records show more than a dozen consecutive continuances on the question of Medina’s mental competency to stand trial. His case was suspended at a preliminary hearing in mid-October 2024 — more than 18 months after his arrest — over concerns he was mentally unfit to proceed. A deputy public defender said the determination followed interactions with Medina dating back to his arrest.