The tech consultant charged in Cash App founder Bob Lee's stabbing death had no motive to kill him and in fact was forced to defend himself against Lee, who had become aggressive while on a multiday drug bender, lawyers for Nima Momeni said in opening statements Monday.
Prosecutors say Momeni, 40, planned the April 4, 2023, attack after a dispute over his younger sister, Khazar, with whom Lee was friends. They say Momeni took a knife from a unique set in his sister鈥檚 condo, drove Lee to a secluded area and stabbed him three times, then fled.
鈥淪tabbed through his heart and left to die,鈥 said Omid Talai, assistant district attorney, 鈥渙ur victim was stabbed repeatedly, once in his chest, once in his hip and literally one puncturing his heart.鈥
Lee鈥檚 death at age 43 鈥 after staggering on a deserted downtown San Francisco street seeking help 鈥 stunned the tech community, and fellow executives and engineers penned tributes to the charismatic entrepreneur's generosity and brilliance. Lee was chief product officer of cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin when he died. He was a father to two children.
Flowers sit at a tree in front of the building where a technology executive was fatally stabbed outside of in San Francisco, April 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Judge Alexandra Gordon has told jurors the long-awaited trial that began Monday in San Francisco Superior Court is expected to last two months. Momeni, who lives in nearby Emeryville, California, has been in custody since his arrest days after Lee died at a San Francisco hospital.
Momeni has pleaded not guilty. He faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted.
Lawyer Saam Zangeneh told jurors that defense attorneys will show that Momeni bore Lee no ill will and that wound patterns show that Momeni was forced to defend himself after Lee pulled a knife out of his pocket, high on drugs and having slept only six hours over a four-day period of doing cocaine and drinking.
鈥淲e 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,鈥 Zangeneh said. 鈥淪omebody鈥檚 dead. Nobody likes that, but you have the right to defend yourself.鈥
Momeni, seen at previous court hearings in orange jail clothing, was seated Monday with his lawyers, wearing a dark suit. His mother, who has been a steadfast presence at hearings, was in the courtroom.
On the other side of the courtroom sat members of Lee鈥檚 family, including his ex-wife, father and brother. Lee's brother put an arm around his father when the 911 call Lee made was replayed in court.
In it, Lee is heard repeatedly asking for help, unable to answer the dispatcher's questions about where he was and what his name was. He said he had been stabbed.
Talai, the assistant district attorney, said jurors will hear from a friend of Lee鈥檚, who was with him and Momeni鈥檚 sister the day before Lee was stabbed.
The friend will testify that Momeni angrily grilled Lee on the phone that night over his sister, drugs and 鈥済irls getting naked,鈥 acting like 鈥渁n overprotective, wannabe tough guy鈥 while Lee was being mellow and happy, Talai said.
Zangeneh said he will show that the friend is not a reliable witness and that Momeni and Lee had traded friendly texts that night. Lee likely invited Momeni to join him at a strip club, Zangeneh said.
Surveillance video of Lee鈥檚 final night shows him entering the posh Millennium Tower downtown, where Momeni鈥檚 sister lives with her husband, a prominent San Francisco plastic surgeon.
Video shows Lee and Momeni leaving the building after 2 a.m. and driving off together in Momeni鈥檚 car.
Other video will show the two men getting out of the car in a isolated spot by the Bay Bridge, and then Momeni stabbing Lee three times, tossing the knife from his sister鈥檚 kitchen set and quickly driving away, Talai said.
Talai said the prosecution will share text messages in which Momeni, the following morning, tells his sister he did not know what happened to Lee that night but that he was preparing a rape case against him, thinking Lee had assaulted Khazar.
The attorney said video recorded by a San Francisco police detective trailing Momeni before his arrest shows him reenacting the three stabbing motions outside his previous lawyer鈥檚 office, but no reenactment of a struggle over the knife that Momeni's attorneys say Lee wielded first.
Police recovered a knife with a four-inch (10-centimeter) blade in the secluded area where Lee was stabbed. Prosecutors said tests showed Momeni鈥檚 DNA on the weapon鈥檚 handle and Lee鈥檚 DNA on the bloody blade.
Zangeneh said Monday that police should have tested the handle for fingerprints, namely Lee鈥檚. He scoffed at the idea of Momeni bringing what was essentially a "paring鈥 knife from his sister's kitchen to kill Lee, and said that Momeni did not realize Lee was hurt, much less fatally wounded.
He said his client is eager to tell his side of the story, but they haven鈥檛 decided whether Momeni will testify in his defense.
Family members for Momeni and Lee declined to comment Monday.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
'Escalating incidents' between two Hamilton high schools are believed to be connected to a car crash last week that left a 15-year-old boy dead, police say.
The father of a 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England fled to Pakistan and called U.K. police from there to say he had killed her, a jury heard Monday.
A major American retailer has stopped selling its new winter-themed candle over backlash from shoppers who said its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
Four guests at an Airbnb east of Toronto made off with a quarter of million dollars worth of jewelry following their stay, police say.
A so-called 'Moon Tree,' grown with seeds that were flown around the moon, was planted at a California school.
As provincial elections play out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick this month, there are pledges to provide more fertility treatment coverage.
Embattled B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is under fire once again, this time for past Facebook comments casting doubt on the official accounts of mass shooting events in Canada and the U.S.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
Embattled B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is under fire once again, this time for past Facebook comments casting doubt on the official accounts of mass shooting events in Canada and the U.S.
'Escalating incidents' between two Hamilton high schools are believed to be connected to a car crash last week that left a 15-year-old boy dead, police say.
Four guests at an Airbnb east of Toronto made off with a quarter of million dollars worth of jewelry following their stay, police say.
British Columbia's New Democratic Party says it is responsible for a parody social media post that has B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad promising to bring back McDonald's McRib sandwiches.
The Alberta government is proposing additional restrictions on wind and solar farms that conservationists think are more about limiting renewable energy than protecting the environment.
Florida counties hard hit by Hurricane Milton are returning to a semblance of normalcy, with power restored to most areas on Monday, gas stations reopening and students preparing to return to school.
A bus carrying university students crashed and overturned on a highway in northeastern Egypt Monday, killing 12 people and injuring 33 others, the health ministry said in a statement.
San Francisco prosecutors made opening statements Monday in the murder trial of a tech consultant charged in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, previewing a timeline of events before the death and attempts afterward by the defendant to hide what he did.
Russia said Monday it captured the village of Levadne in southern Ukraine as it probes for weaknesses along the war 's roughly 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front line, including in eastern areas that are the main focus of Moscow's military effort before winter arrives.
An Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building in northern Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 21 people, according to the Lebanese Red Cross.
Sean 鈥淒iddy鈥 Combs was hit Monday with a new wave of lawsuits accusing him of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting a 16-year-old boy. It is the first time he鈥檚 been sued by a person alleging they were abused as a minor.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
Three in four Canadians support defence spending on new submarines, according to a new survey from Nanos Research and 愛污传媒.
The free trade agreement with ASEAN is expected to be signed at the end of 2025. If Trudeau is pressured to step down, or if his government falls and loses the next election, Trudeau will not, as prime minister, be there to see the fruits of his labour.
As provincial elections play out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick this month, there are pledges to provide more fertility treatment coverage.
Your nose may be more powerful than you think.
An outbreak of a rare parasitic disease has been linked to undercooked bear meat eaten by dozens of people at a gathering in North Carolina, a new U.S. CDC report has revealed.
A so-called 'Moon Tree,' grown with seeds that were flown around the moon, was planted at a California school.
A NASA spacecraft rocketed away Monday on a quest to explore Jupiter鈥檚 tantalizing moon Europa and reveal whether its vast hidden ocean might hold the keys to life.
The 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe, Spanish scientists said on Saturday, after using DNA analysis to tackle a centuries-old mystery.
Canadian stand-up comedian and former talk show host Mike Bullard has died.
Jamie Foxx hadn鈥檛 been on stage for 18 years, but he returned recently for a very special reason.
Ariana Grande performed one of her greatest hits on the latest episode of 'Saturday Night Live' 鈥 her famed Celine Dion impression.
The Nobel memorial prize in economics was awarded Monday to three economists who have studied why some countries are rich and others poor and have documented that freer, open societies are more likely to prosper.
A major American retailer has stopped selling its new winter-themed candle over backlash from shoppers who said its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled on a case she describes as a "bizarre mess" in a decision issued earlier this week.
S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.
This spooky season some people are opting to recycle old costumes in a bid to make Halloween more sustainable 鈥 and affordable.
Major League Baseball's postseason is averaging 3.33 million viewers going into the league championship series, an 18% increase over last year's average of 2.82 million.
Utah Hockey Club right-wing Dylan Guenther, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel have been named the NHL鈥檚 three stars of the week.
It was a record breaking year at the Valley Harvest Marathon in Wolfville, N.S., on Saturday and Sunday.
The Ontario Provincial Police says the number of fatal collisions caused by distracted driving on the roads it patrols has increased by 40 per cent compared to this time last year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled on Thursday his vision of a 'a fun, exciting future,' an 'age of abundance' full of his company鈥檚 self-driving cars without steering wheels, parking lots turned into parks and robots that will walk among the population 鈥 that he once again promised would be available within a few years.
Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.
S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.
Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the 'proudest accomplishment' of his entire life.
James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.
This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of a large blizzard that paralyzed Manitoba.
There was an eye-catching mix of rainbows and lightning over Vancouver following a brief downpour this week.
Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.
Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
A Vancouver Aquarium rescue seal named Biscuits has been named as one of the latest inductees to the viral TikTok trend 鈥淜nights of the Rotund Table."
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
Thanksgiving weekend is a time for many of us to connect with family, but for those less fortunate, it can be a difficult time of year.
'Escalating incidents' between two Hamilton high schools are believed to be connected to a car crash last week that left a 15-year-old boy dead, police say.
Durham police say two men are facing drug and weapon charges after somebody called police about a late-night altercation in Oshawa.
Four guests at an Airbnb east of Toronto made off with a quarter of million dollars worth of jewelry following their stay, police say.
Calgary libraries will reopen on Wednesday following a cyber security breach.
Calgary Fire Department (CFD) crews responded to a gas leak in the city鈥檚 northwest Monday afternoon.
Hundreds of Calgarians gathered together on Thanksgiving Monday to fight food insecurity with a charity walk for The Calgary Food Bank.
On Monday, the Mission capped off its annual Thanksgiving tradition with a meal for anyone who needed one.
The Ottawa Police Service is investigating a possible assault that left one man with serious burns on Monday morning.
On Monday morning, officers stopped a vehicle that was travelling the wrong way on Baseline Road in Ottawa.
Urgences-sant茅 has confirmed that an ambulance was dispatched to a residence in C么te-Saint-Luc following reports of a possible drowning involving a man in his 60s.
A Montreal suburb has received a provincial Environment Department permit to go ahead with a long-awaited white-tailed deer cull in a local park that has become overrun with them.
Firefighters with the Montreal Fire Service extinguished a two-alarm fire at a vacant building in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough on Sunday night.
The Alberta government is proposing additional restrictions on wind and solar farms that conservationists think are more about limiting renewable energy than protecting the environment.
The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
Boyle Street Community Services and the Bissel Centre, Edmonton organizations that help people dealing with homelessness and poverty, partnered with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's culinary program to feed hundreds for the annual holiday at the downtown Boyle Street Plaza.
Halifax police have charged a 41-year-old man in the death of his mother.
The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is reminding residents that the second of two advance voting days for the 2024 Municipal and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial election will take place on Tuesday.
鈥淜en is a dreamer鈥: Saint John singer-songwriter Ken Tobias passes away at 79.
Old buildings can be a little spooky this time of year, but none like the Boyd House in Winnipeg鈥檚 Osborne Village.
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.
If you have leftover seeds from your squash soup or pumpkin carving, the Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is asking you to donate them instead of throwing them away.
Saskatchewan residents have just a few more days to catch a rare glimpse of a comet visible to the naked eye, streaking across the western skies at dusk.
With Saskatchewan's election set for Oct. 28, many voters may be wondering what candidates are running in their local ridings.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe is accusing the union representing RCMP members of looking after its own interests.
Hundreds of people bundled up to take part in a longstanding Thanksgiving Day tradition in Kitchener.
According to police, when officers arrived they found the house fully engulfed in flames and were unable to make entry.
Police are looking for a missing 14-year-old boy from Kitchener.
Saskatchewan residents have just a few more days to catch a rare glimpse of a comet visible to the naked eye, streaking across the western skies at dusk.
With Saskatchewan's election set for Oct. 28, many voters may be wondering what candidates are running in their local ridings.
As provincial elections play out in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick this month, there are pledges to provide more fertility treatment coverage.
A Greater Sudbury woman is upset about the charges laid against the man accused of attacking her son and a group of his colleagues downtown on Saturday.
A 36-year-old man is charged with drug-impaired and dangerous driving after a head-on crash in northwest Ontario last Thursday.
A major American retailer has stopped selling its new winter-themed candle over backlash from shoppers who said its design resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods.
One person has died and three others were transported to hospital following a three-vehicle collision in St. Clair Township
Smash Pickleball is the region鈥檚 only indoor facility dedicated specifically to the sport.
A Harriston man has been charged after police said the operator of an ATV crashed into a vehicle parked on Queen Street South in Harrison.
The Busby Centre in Barrie held a first-ever Thanksgiving meal Monday afternoon, serving meals to more than 150 people.
Provincial police remind motorists about the importance of buckling up after an officer discovered a passenger sitting on a kitchen chair inside the vehicle during a traffic stop in the Town of the Blue Mountains.
A recent study ranks Barrie last among large Canadian cities regarding homeowners who have paid off their mortgage.
Chatham-Kent police say a 37-year-old Merlin man has died after a two-vehicle collision.
Windsor has the fifth highest rate of mortgage-free homeowners in Canada, according to a study by Casivoo.
The Town of Tecumseh is getting $1,789,764 from the Ontario government to help renew and rehabilitate critical infrastructure.
Embattled B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is under fire once again, this time for past Facebook comments casting doubt on the official accounts of mass shooting events in Canada and the U.S.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby took a break from campaigning Monday to address stunning new allegations from the RCMP that Indian diplomats and consular officials are linked to violent criminal activity on Canadian soil.
A key assumption about dwindling numbers of southern resident killer whales pins the blame on a lack of salmon, but a study out of the University of British Columbia has found they have twice the number of chinook available in summer as their much healthier cousins, the northern residents.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
The Vancouver Giants scored late to force overtime before winning 4-3 over the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday night.
If you鈥檙e looking for something to do this long weekend, the Lethbridge Corn Maze is open and hosting its annual fundraiser on Monday.
Local photographers were amazed by the aurora borealis display in the night sky over Lethbridge on Thursday night.
A 36-year-old man is charged with drug-impaired and dangerous driving after a head-on crash in northwest Ontario last Thursday.
Provincial police in Hearst, Ont., stopped an unlicensed northwestern Ontario driver for a聽morning traffic infraction.
A 32-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the death of an 18-year-old man this past January, according to Ontario Provincial Police.
A five-hour drive from St. John's, N.L., and well off the beaten path, Point Leamington seems an unlikely spot for a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
