Duarte Dispatch_2/23/2023

Bass, LA officials discuss antisemitism at town hall after shootings

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Thursday, February 23-March 01, 2023

Accused killer of beloved LA bishop awaits charges

By City News Service

shooting at the bishop's Hacienda Heights home.

The suspect was arrested following an hours-long standoff at his home in the 2400 block of Kenwood Avenue in Torrance, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Two firearms were recovered at Medina's home, and they will be tested to determine if either weapon was involved in the Saturday shooting, Luna added.

comments about the bishop owing him money."

But the sheriff stopped short of saying such a dispute led to the killing, saying it was "something that came up from one of the witnesses" — and that investigators were still conducting interviews.

it was unclear when.

Luna said Medina drove a dark-colored compact SUV similar to one seen on surveillance video pulling into O'Connell's driveway and leaving, although it was unsure when that occurred.

As authorities continue to search for a motive in the slaying of a beloved Los Angeles bishop, his accused killer was charged with murder Wednesday.

Carlos Medina, 65, is expected to be arraigned in a downtown Los Angeles court-

room after being arrested Monday morning in the weekend killing of Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Medina — the husband of a housekeeper who worked for O'Connell — remains behind bars following the Saturday

Authorities have not yet released what charges Medina is possibly facing, with a spokesman for the LA District Attorney's office saying Tuesday, "We have been working closely with LASD however the matter has not yet been presented to our office for filing."

While the motive for the crime remained uncertain, Luna said a tipster reported that "Medina was acting strange, irrational and made

Tipsters told the sheriff's department that Medina had left his residence and gone to central California. Then tipsters alerted the LASD that Medina was back at his residence, sparking the overnight standoff that ended with his arrest at around 8:15 a.m. Monday.

Luna said Medina's wife was being questioned and has been "fully cooperative" with detectives.

The sheriff also said that while Medina was the husband of the bishop's housekeeper, Medina himself had also "previously done work at the bishop's residence," although

Luis Lopez was a neighbor of Medina's and told ABC7 that Medina seemed like a good man and "looked like he wouldn't hurt a fly."

O'Connell, 69, was a native of Ireland and had been a priest and later a bishop in Los Angeles for 45 years, Archbishop José Gomez said in a statement released following his death.

"He was a peacemaker with a heart for the poor and the immigrant, and he had a passion for building a community where the sanctity and dignity of every human life was honored and protected," Gomez said.

O'Connell was found shot

just before 1 p.m. Saturday at his home in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue, near Turnbull Canyon Road. Sheriff's officials confirmed Sunday that his death was being investigated as a homicide. Luna said it was still being determined exactly when O'Connell was shot.

Luna said there were no signs of forced entry into O'Connell's home, and that the auxiliary bishop had at least one gunshot wound to the upper body. He was shot in the bedroom of his home, the sheriff said.

The bishop's body was discovered after a deacon went to the home to check on him, because O'Connell was apparently late for a meeting, Luna said.

At the time of his death, O'Connell — widely known as "Bishop Dave" — was vicar

See K iller Page 24

Federal corruption trial for former LA deputy mayor about to begin

By Fred Shuster, City News Service

Aformer Los Angeles deputy mayor played a key role in a complex City Hall-based bribery scheme run by ex-City Councilman José Huizar designed to “get money, keep power and avoid the feds,” a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday, but a defense attorney insisted that Raymond Chan did nothing wrong and is the victim of overzealous prosecution.

Chan is facing a dozen criminal counts, including racketeering conspiracy, bribery, honest services

fraud and lying to federal agents.

“This is a public official who secretly abused his position to set himself up for a payday,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan S. Har told the downtown Los Angeles jury in opening statements of Chan’s trial.

Chan, 66, of Monterey Park, is accused of being a member of what prosecutors dubbed the Council District 14 “enterprise,” a conspiracy which operated as a pay-to-play scheme in

which Huizar — assisted by others — unlawfully used his office to give favorable treatment to real estate developers who financed and facilitated bribes and other illicit benefits.

Huizar pleaded guilty last month in Los Angeles federal court to felony charges for using his powerful position at City Hall to enrich himself and his associates, and for cheating on his taxes. He faces multiple years behind bars at sentencing on April 3.

A deputy mayor who

oversaw economic development for ex-Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2016 and 2017, Chan is charged with allegedly arranging indirect bribe payments to city officials by lining up employment contracts for the officials’ relatives.

“It’s a great story,” Chan’s attorney, Harland Braun, said sarcastically in his opening statement, telling the jury there is not “a speck of evidence” that his client acted corruptly.

The defense attorney

| Photo by sergign/Envato Elements

Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell celebrates Mass. | Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles