The Bakersfield man charged with killing his parents entered a plea. 29-year-old Derek Connell was in court Wednesday to be arraigned on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of his stepfather and mother, Christopher and Kim Higginbotham. Deputy Public Defender Paul Cadman said after the hearing that Connell should have received medical and psychological care from the V.A. following his deployment to Iraq by the Army. Cadman did not answer any questions about the case other than to make that statement. Connell is due back in court in late July for preliminary hearings.