Accused Murderer Pleads Not Guilty

Teyseer Zaid Najdawi, 28, entered a plea on Friday of not guilty by reason of insanity for the 2008 murder of his friend in Millbrae.

Although he is deemed competent for trial, the jury will need to consider his mental state in 2008 to acquit him – whether he was unaware of his actions because he was insane, or if he deliberately murdered his friend.

Najdawi’s mental competency has been a recurring issue throughout the case.

Najdawi is accused of shooting his friend multiple times in the head as they were driving home from a night of drinking in San Francisco, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

He fled to Northern California, where authorities later apprehended him. After attacking his cellmate for no apparent reason in county jail, court-appointed doctors deemed him not competent to stand trial.

Najdawi was committed to the California Department of Mental Health in 2009 and placed at Napa State Hospital, and after a year, doctors said he was fit to stand trial.

After returning from Napa, he recently fired his lawyer and wanted to represent himself. After further psychiatric evaluation, his request was granted.

On Friday, San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Lisa Novak appointed two doctors to further evaluate Najdawi’s mental state at the time of the murder. Their report is due Nov. 8.