El Cajon

A mental-competency trial opened Wednesday for Toufic Naddi, an El Cajon man charged with murder in the June, 1985, slayings of his wife and four of her relatives.

The proceeding, which centers on whether Naddi is able to stand trial for those slayings, is unusual in that both the 46-year-old defendant and the prosecutor, Jim Pippin, agree that Naddi is mentally competent.

But Naddi’s attorneys believe Naddi is incompetent and unable to assist in his defense. If found incompetent, as he was earlier by a judge, he would be committed to a state mental hospital.

Pippin told the jurors in San Diego Superior Court that he intends to call Naddi as a witness. Pippin said Naddi could face the death penalty if convicted of special circumstances allegations that he killed multiple victims.

Naddi is accused of shooting his wife, Aida, 26, and the others on June 1, 1985, at their home at 667 Carlow Way.

Naddi’s attorney, Michael Murphy, told jurors that Naddi suffers from “a major mental illness” that has caused him to be uncooperative with his previous seven attorneys. Pippin said Naddi can cooperate but is unwilling to do so because he wants to run his case as he sees fit.