After seven days of deliberation, a San Francisco jury found Nima Momeni guilty of second degree murder in connection with the deadly stabbing of Cash App inventor Bob Lee.
Second-degree murder carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, with an additional penalty for employing a knife during the crime. The more serious accusation of premeditated first degree murder was dropped against Momeni.
Sgt. Brent Dittmer, who testified during the trial, a few members of the DA’s office, and prosecutors Dane Reinstedt and Omid Talai were all in the courtroom for the verdict.
Nima’s mother, Mahnaz Momeni, was also present, as were defense lawyers Tony Brass and Zoe Aron.
Timothy Oliver Lee, Lee’s brother, stated outside the courtroom that the family was happy with the decision.
“We are pleased with today’s outcome. We’re glad Nima Momeni won’t be living on the streets and won’t have the chance to hurt anyone else,” he said. “The verdict of murder two will put him away for a long time.”
Shocking murder
In April 2023, Momeni was charged with fatally stabbing tech executive Lee in a remote area of San Francisco’s East Cut neighborhood beneath the Bay Bridge.
Just before 4 p.m. on Monday, court officials declared that the jury had returned a verdict.
After a violent argument about his sister’s connection with Leeas and their continued drug usage, prosecutors accused Momeni of stabbing Lee with a kitchen paring knife. Momeni’s attorneys asserted during the trial that their client acted in self-defense, claiming that Lee, under the influence of cocaine and ketamine, lunged at Momeni while brandishing a knife. The defense claimed that when Momeni made a “bad joke” that hurt Lee’s family, Lee became unpredictable and hostile.
Intense trial
Dramatic testimony, including Momeni’s sister Khazar Momeni’s entrance on the stand, interspersed the six-week trial. On her first day of evidence, she asserted that her brother did not kill Lee while testifying as a prosecution witness.She reportedly described taking a number of substances with Lee and other people in the days before the stabbing death.
Khazar Momeni said during cross-examination by defense lawyers that Lee was “all over the place” and “aggressive” when under the influence of drugs. Outside the courtroom, Lee’s ex-wife Krista Lee blasted her testimony, accusing her of attempting to “make herself a victim.”
After detailing how Lee allegedly attacked him while his defense team questioned him about the altercation, the defendants sparred with the prosecution during cross-examination, which caused the testimony to become heated when Nima Momeni entered the stand.
Prosecutorial challenge
Omid Talai, the assistant district attorney for San Francisco, disputed Momeni’s account and emphasized his behavior just after Lee’s passing, such as his text messages to his sister and calls to lawyers.
In their closing statements, prosecutors attempted to undermine Momeni’s defense during the first week of December, questioning why he chose not to notify anyone or call the police when Lee allegedly attacked him.
During their final arguments, the defense played a shocking video of surveillance footage they said showed Lee using the same knife that killed him hours later to use cocaine on the street outside a VIP club. In order to show the jurors the size of the paring knife that he said the video demonstrated Lee had in his possession the entire time, defense lawyer Saam Zangeneh displayed a cardboard cutout of the knife during the trial.
Zangeneh and Lee’s ex-wife had a heated argument after he exhibited the tape, and she laughed loudly and derisively.
“It wasn’t funny,” Zangeneh said, turning to face her. As soon as the prosecutors raised their objections, the judge stepped in to bring the courtroom back into order.
On the morning of December 4, the jury started deliberating.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.