Nima Momeni, defendant in Bob Lee fatal stabbing, pushes to fast track his case
SAN FRANCISCO -- The man accused in the stabbing death of tech executive Bob Lee wants to put his case on a fast track, but that is putting him at odds with his attorney.
Nima Momeni's high-profile attorney Paula Canny had wanted to delay an upcoming preliminary hearing. Momeni insisted on having the earliest court date possible.
Canny told CBS San Francisco that while it's not what she wanted, she understands his desire to have his day in court as soon as possible.
"From his perspective, or any criminal defendant's perspective, they're in custody," said Canny."Who wants to be in jail? Most people want their cases to proceed quickly. But good lawyers want to look at everything."
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Last week, Momeni pleaded not guilty to the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Lee on a dark San Francisco street early on the morning of April 4th.
Superior Court Judge Victor Hwang said he did not believe Momeni was a flight risk, but that he was a threat to the community. He granted a prosecution motion to keep Momeni in custody without bail while the case is plays out in court.
"Anyone who's capable of violently killing someone in society is a public safety risk, regardless of whether we think a murder was intentional or not, it's somebody who's capable of taking another human life," said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins outside the courtroom. "And so for that reason, they present a danger because you don't know whether tomorrow there will be a different life that they intend to take. And so that's why he needs to be held in custody."
Prosecutors say the deadly stabbing happened after a confrontation over whether his sister was involved with Lee and whether the two were using drugs.
The medical examiner's report revealed that Lee had alcohol, cocaine and ketamine in his system at the time of his death. He died on the operating table as doctors tried to save him from two injuries to the heart caused by the stabbing.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Lee and Elyassnia liked to hang out in a Bay Area underground party scene known as "The Lifestyle" which features recreational drug use and casual sex.
A preliminary hearing is set for next Tuesday.
