SAN FRANCISCO (AP)– The technology expert butted in Cash App owner Bob Lee’s stabbing fatality had no objective to eliminate him and as a matter of fact was compelled to safeguard himself versus Lee, that had actually come to be hostile while on a multiday medication bender, attorneys for Nima Momeni stated in opening up declarations Monday.
Prosecutors state Momeni, 40, planned the April 4, 2023, attack after a disagreement over his more youthful sibling, Khazar, with whom Lee was good friends. They state Momeni took a blade from an one-of-a-kind embed in his sibling’s condominium, drove Lee to a private location and stabbed him 3 times, after that got away.
“Stabbed through his heart and left to die,” stated Omid Talai, aide area lawyer, “our victim was stabbed repeatedly, once in his chest, once in his hip and literally one puncturing his heart.”
Lee’s fatality at age 43– after startling on a deserted midtown San Francisco road looking for aid– stunned the tech community, and fellow execs and designers penciled homages to the charming business owner’s kindness and sparkle. Lee was primary item police officer of cryptocurrency system MobileCoin when he passed away. He was a dad to 2 youngsters.
Judge Alexandra Gordon has actually informed jurors the long-awaited test that started Monday in San Francisco Superior Court is anticipated to last 2 months. Momeni, that resides in neighboring Emeryville, California, has actually remained in protection considering that his apprehension days after Lee passed away at a San Francisco healthcare facility.
Momeni has actually begged blameless. He encounters 26 years to life behind bars if founded guilty.
Lawyer Saam Zangeneh informed jurors that defense lawyer will certainly reveal that Momeni birthed Lee no hostility which injury patterns reveal that Momeni was compelled to safeguard himself after Lee drew a blade out of his pocket, high up on medications and having actually rested just 6 hours over a four-day duration of doing drug and alcohol consumption.
“We feel that once we present this case … and once we fill in the gaps, the only viable verdict in this case is a verdict of not guilty,” Zangeneh stated. “Somebody’s dead. Nobody likes that, but you have the right to defend yourself.”
Momeni, seen at previous court hearings in orange prison clothes, was seated Monday with his attorneys, putting on a dark fit. His mother, that has actually been an unwavering existence at hearings, remained in the court.
On the opposite of the court rested participants of Lee’s family members, including his ex-wife, papa and sibling. Lee’s sibling placed an arm around his papa when the 911 telephone call Lee made was repeated in court.
In it, Lee is listened to consistently requesting for aid, not able to address the dispatcher’s concerns regarding where he was and what his name was. He stated he had actually been stabbed.
Talai, the aide area lawyer, stated jurors will certainly learn through a good friend of Lee’s, that was with him and Momeni’s sibling the day prior to Lee was stabbed.
The buddy will certainly affirm that Momeni madly barbequed Lee on the phone that evening over his sibling, medications and “girls getting naked,” imitating “an overprotective, wannabe tough guy” while Lee was being smooth and satisfied, Talai stated.
Zangeneh stated he will certainly reveal that the buddy is not a dependable witness which Momeni and Lee had actually traded pleasant messages that evening. Lee most likely welcomed Momeni to join him at a strip club, Zangeneh stated.
Surveillance video clip of Lee’s last evening reveals him going into the chic Millennium Tower midtown, where Momeni’s sibling deals with her hubby, a popular San Francisco cosmetic surgeon.
Video programs Lee and Momeni leaving the structure after 2 a.m. and repeling with each other in Momeni’s automobile.
Other video clip will certainly reveal both males leaving the automobile in a separated place by the Bay Bridge, and afterwards Momeni stabbing Lee 3 times, throwing the blade from his sibling’s kitchen area collection and promptly repeling, Talai stated.
Talai stated the prosecution will certainly share sms message in which Momeni, the adhering to early morning, informs his sibling he did not understand what occurred to Lee that evening yet that he was preparing a rape situation versus him, assuming Lee had actually attacked Khazar.
The lawyer stated video clip tape-recorded by a San Francisco cops investigative routing Momeni prior to his apprehension reveals him reenacting the 3 stabbing activities outside his previous legal representative’s workplace, yet no reenactment of a battle over the blade that Momeni’s lawyers state Lee possessed initially.
Police recouped a blade with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade in the private location where Lee was stabbed. Prosecutors stated examinations revealed Momeni’s DNA on the tool’s take care of and Lee’s DNA on the bloody blade.
Zangeneh stated Monday that cops ought to have tested the handle for finger prints, particularly Lee’s. He belittled the concept of Momeni bringing what was basically a “paring” blade from his sibling’s kitchen area to eliminate Lee, and stated that Momeni did not recognize Lee was injured, a lot less fatally injured.
He stated his customer aspires to inform his side of the tale, yet they have not determined whether Momeni will certainly affirm in his protection.
Family participants for Momeni and Lee decreased to comment Monday.
Janie Har, The Associated Press
