Defense witness: Haq was ‘insane

By · May 13, 2008

Naveed Haq was insane when he opened fire in a Seattle Jewish federation, a psychiatrist testified.

Haq, 32, killed one woman and injured five when he opened fire inside the Seattle Jewish federation in July 2006, and then told police he wanted to make a political point about Jewish power and the war in Iraq.

Dr. James Missett, a Yale-trained addiction and forensic psychiatrist, told the court last week that Haq was and is severely mentally ill.

“My opinion is that Mr. Haq was insane, legally, at the time of the incident at the Jewish Federation,” Missett testified.

Defense attorneys have spent the last two weeks trying to prove their client was insane when he opened fire.

Haq’s attorneys will question medical experts about his diagnosed bipolar disorder and chronic psychosis through the third week in May, JTNews reported.

The Muslim-American was taking six prescription drugs for his mental illness at the time of the shooting, including one, Effexor, that is not approved for treating bipolar disorder and that has homicidal side effects in a small percentage of patients, an expert said.

His doctors say that in addition to his bipolar disorder, Haq suffers from schizoaffective disorder, which includes hallucinations, delusions and grandiosity.

Haq’s parents and estranged younger brother also testified on his behalf, explaining how difficult life was with the mentally ill man.