Nima Momeni, the man accused of the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee, broke his quiet demeanor to detail the events leading to Lee’s death. Delivering his account to the San Francisco Superior Court, Momeni claimed a distasteful joke triggered a series of actions that ended with him acting in self-defense, according to
Mission Local
. In his testimony, he described how an upset Lee assaulted him with a knife, leading to a scuffle and the unintentional stabbing.
Dressed in a navy blue suit and speaking with a noticeable Iranian accent, Momeni appeared nervous while on the stand, fidgeting with his cup of water several times. “If it was my last night in town, I’d go and hang out with my family instead of, you know, fucking around in strip clubs,” were the words Momeni admitted to saying to Lee, per his testimony, as per
Mission Local
. Momeni further explained that Lee’s reaction was aggressive and sudden, prompting him to deflect an ensuing knife attack and, ultimately, causing Lee’s accidentally fatal injuries.
The prosecution pounced on the assumed improbabilities within Momeni’s version of the night’s events. “Your story is that this prominent, beloved, respected man … he wanted to kill you over a dumb joke?” Prosecutor Omid Talai interrogated, signaling disbelief.
As reported by
Mission Local
, Momeni’s response was bewilderment over the chaotic unraveling: ”
I don’t know why the events took off like that. It doesn’t make sense.” Momeni’s adherence to self-defense was furthered by claims that he disposed of the alleged weapon, fearing Lee might retrieve it, as detailed in his testimony.
Further investigation reveals that Momeni and Lee, who had known each other only for a few days, were captured on surveillance footage outside the Millennium Tower, home to Momeni’s sister, before the altercation. Momeni’s claim that he was unaware of Lee’s condition following the incident is disputed by prosecutors, who, according to
KTVU
, suggested Momeni’s actions were premeditated, driven by anger over his sister’s alleged drug overdose incident involving an acquaintance of Lee’s.
The defense has portrayed Momeni as a peaceful man caught in an unforeseen tragedy. Their narrative is intertwined with Momeni’s personal history – a perilous escape from an abusive father in Iran and an immigration story that landed him and his family in the U.S. This emotional aspect of the trial was highlighted as Momeni became tearful on the stand, a testament to the raw emotions playing out within court walls. The defense exhibited numerous text exchanges between Momeni and his sister to highlight the complexities of their relationship, colored by her drug addiction and his role as the protective brother, “Never,” Momeni replied when asked by defense attorney Saam Zanganeh whether he harbored any ill will toward Lee, as reported by
Mission Local
.
Tensions in the courtroom were palpable as the victim’s brother, Tim Oliver Lee, watched the proceedings with apparent skepticism. “Just seeing him get angry and stuff on the stand, I feel like that’s what my brother saw that night. Seeing him get angry. His story makes no sense to me and I don’t think it makes sense to the jury either,” Lee solemnly reflected in a statement to
KTVU
. The trial continues with the prosecution bearing down on the details of Momeni’s testimony, aiming to unravel the defendant’s recounted self-defense narrative.
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