A Los Angeles judge ruled that Michael Gledhill, charged with murdering actor James Handy in Tarzana, is not mentally competent to stand trial. Gledhill was ordered to receive involuntary medication for one year. The case will resume if he is later found competent.
A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday that Michael Gledhill, the man charged with murdering veteran actor , is not mentally competent to stand trial. The decision halts criminal proceedings in the case that shocked the community and the entertainment industry.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi found that Gledhill, 44, cannot understand the murder case against him and cannot rationally assist his attorney in his own defense. She also ordered that he be involuntarily medicated for one year.
James Handy, the 81-year-old character actor known for roles in "Jumanji" and "Top Gun: Maverick," was found fatally stabbed in the front yard of a home on the 19200 block of Erwin Street in Tarzana on the morning of June 3.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the scene after receiving a 911 call. According to police, the caller said:
"I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."
When officers arrived around 9:30 a.m., they found Handy unconscious with a stab wound to the chest. Paramedics transported him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Gledhill flagged down responding officers and told them he was the person they were looking for, according to the LAPD.
Gledhill is the son of Wendy Gledhill, who was in a relationship with Handy. The three lived together at the Tarzana home. Police said Gledhill had recently been struggling with mental health issues.
Wendy Gledhill told reporters that her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia in July 2025. She said he had stopped taking his prescribed medication about a week before Handy was killed.
"I'm just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time," Wendy Gledhill, 76, told the California Post. "I loved James and my son. I still can't believe it."
Brian Delate, a longtime friend and fellow actor of Handy, told The Associated Press that Handy had mentioned in passing that his girlfriend's son had mental health problems. Delate said Wendy Gledhill had fixed up her garage so Gledhill could live there.
Gledhill was arrested on June 3 and booked on suspicion of murder at Van Nuys Jail. His bail was set at $2 million. He has not entered a plea.
At a scheduled arraignment on June 5, a judge paused the prosecution and sent the case to a court that specializes in mental health evaluation. Gledhill did not appear in court Monday because he "apparently declined transportation" from jail, his public defenders told Judge Cavalluzzi.
Despite his absence, the hearing proceeded. Cavalluzzi reviewed a psychiatrist's report assessing Gledhill. She ruled that he is not competent to stand trial and signed an order allowing involuntary psychotropic medication for one year. A psychiatrist determined that proper medication could significantly help his mental health.
"Monday's ruling is not a determination of guilt or innocence," Gledhill's defense team said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defenders Donna Tryfman and Robert Krauss said Gledhill's "treatment and restoration efforts" will take priority before criminal court proceedings.
A hearing to determine Gledhill's long-term placement is set for July 14. The case will head to trial if Gledhill is later found to be competent.
Handy was a ubiquitous character actor with decades of work in film and television. His credits included:
Handy was born on March 19, 1945, in New York City. He died in Tarzana on June 3, 2026.
Flowers and tributes have been left outside the Erwin Street home where Handy was found. The case remains open as Gledhill undergoes treatment aimed at restoring his competency.
This article was generated with AI assistance.