O'Connor Bound Over to District Court in Miller Case

by Joe Dahl -- In a preliminary hearing held in the New River Justice Court, Friday, John Kelley O’Connor was bound over to State District Court on the charge of first-degree murder along with three additional charges; battery, assault, and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.  All charges include the use of a deadly weapon. O’Connor is accused of killing Bert Miller during Sacrament meeting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on July 22, 2018. He was found competent to stand trial on September 16, 2019 by Judge Tom Stockard. During Friday’s hearing the defense counsel, Richard Davies and Aaron Mouritsen, raised concern to the court, of their client’s mental competency and moved that he be returned to Lake’s Crossing, a State of Nevada run, maximum security psychiatric facility in Sparks.  According to counsel, for a brief period while in custody, O’Connor had not been provided his medication which affects his ability to assist with his defense. Judge Jack Schroeder, sitting in for Justice of the Peace Ben Trotter, who was Sheriff at the time of the shooting and on-scene during the investigation, denied that motion.  Defense moved to continue the argument throughout the proceeding. The State, represented by Deputy District Attorneys Lane Mills and Chelsea Sanford, called a total of seven witnesses; the medical examiner, a Fallon policeman, a deputy sheriff, and four witnesses who were in the church service at the time of the shooting. The defense called no witnesses, but toward the end of the hearing the defense moved to dismiss the charges of assault, concealed weapon, and battery.  These were denied and the court bound all four charges over to District Court.       Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.