Verdict in Nima Momeni trial for murder of Bob Lee will be announced Tuesday morning, court officials say
The jury in the San Francisco murder trial of Nima Momeni, the man accused of fatally stabbing tech executive and Cash App founder Bob Lee, has reached a verdict and will announce their decision Tuesday morning, according to court officials.
Court officials announced that a verdict was reached by the jury shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, but noted that given the time of day, the jury has been ordered back at 9:30 a.m. for the reading of the verdict.
Momeni was accused of fatally stabbing tech executive Lee in a secluded part of San Francisco's East Cut neighborhood under the Bay Bridge in April 2023.
Prosecutors said Momeni stabbed Lee with a kitchen paring knife following a heated discussion regarding his sister's relationship with Lee and their ongoing drug use. During the trial, Momeni's lawyers argued that their client acted in self-defense, alleging that Lee lunged at Momeni with a knife in his hand while high on cocaine and ketamine. The defense claimed Lee became erratic and aggressive after Momeni made a "bad joke" at the expense of Lee's family.
Momeni has been charged with first-degree murder including a knife enhancement that would carry a sentence of 26 years to life in prison. However, jurors were instructed by the judge to consider several lesser charges in their deliberations as well, including second degree murder and manslaughter.
The trial, which lasted six weeks, had no shortage of drama, including the testimony of Momeni's sister Khazar, who appeared as a witness for the prosecution. She insisted that her brother didn't kill Lee during her first day of testimony and later detailed the numerous drugs she consumed both with Lee and other individuals during the days leading up to the fatal stabbing.
While being cross examined by the defense, Khazar Momeni said that Lee was "all over the place" and "aggressive" while high on cocaine and ketamine. Lee's ex-wife Krista Lee loudly criticized Khazar's testimony when speaking to the media outside the courtroom, accusing Khazar of trying to "make herself a victim."
The testimony turned contentious when the defendant took the stand. Nima Momeni repeatedly sparred with the prosecution during cross-examination after earlier describing how Lee allegedly attacked him while being questioned by his defense team.
The case wrapped up earlier this month with prosecutors making their closing arguments spending the day trying to tear down Momeni's defense and asking why he didn't call police or tell anyone about Lee allegedly attacking him. Prosecutors also showed video that they said proved Lee couldn't have had a knife in his jacket pocket as Momeni claimed. In the clip, a gust of wind caused Lee's jacket to flap in a way it wouldn't have if weighed down by the paring knife.
The defense countered with their own video during closing arguments, presenting surveillance footage they claimed showed Lee doing cocaine on the street outside a private club with the same knife used to kill him hours later.
The jury began deliberations almost two weeks ago on Dec. 4.
Several members of both Lee's and Momeni's families are expected to be present in the courtroom Tuesday morning when the verdict is read. Lee's former wife Krista as well as his father and his brother attended the trial from the beginning, as did Nima Momeni's mother. His sister Khazar may also return to the courtroom to hear the verdict.
