El Cajon

A judge granted Toufic Naddi his wish Wednesday to represent himself on five murder charges in the shooting deaths of his wife and her relatives in El Cajon.

Naddi, 46, has repeatedly asked judges to allow him to be his own attorney since the June 1, 1985, killings in Naddi’s home on Carlow Way in the Fletcher Hills neighborhood.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Ross Tharp allowed Naddi’s sixth attorney, James Tetley, to be relieved at Naddi’s request. However, he allowed Naddi to get another attorney as a co-counsel.

Naddi has complained that all of his defense attorneys had been “bought off” by his wife’s family and that they were working to get him convicted. If Naddi is convicted of first-degree murder, he could face the death penalty.

Trial has been set for May 11, but it will likely be delayed to give Naddi more time to prepare his case.

Naddi was declared mentally competent to stand trial by a jury March 10 in which another of Naddi’s attorneys claimed Naddi was mentally unfit for trial.

The charges involve the deaths of his wife, Aida, 26, her father, Habib Sabbagh, 73, her mother, Lillian Sabbagh, 58, her brother, Michael Sabbagh, 38, and her cousin, Osama Mashini, 38.

Naddi was sent to a state mental hospital last year after a judge determined he was incompetent to stand trial. Patton State Hospital officials returned him to San Diego after several months of treatment and a finding that he was competent.

Naddi has said he wants to pursue a defense that he was insane when he shot the victims. He claims his previous attorneys have not researched items that are necessary for his defense.