By hannover-web.com In a shocking case that has captivated the tech world, the trial for the murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee began on October 14 at the San Francisco Superior Court. Family members of Lee were present to witness the proceedings.
According to an Associated Press report, the 43-year-old Bob Lee was tragically killed, leaving behind two children and working as the product lead for the cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin at the time of his death.
Prosecutors detailed a timeline of events surrounding the incident in their opening statements. They alleged that the 40-year-old suspect, Nima Momeni, had a heated argument with his sister, Khazar, on April 4 last year. Following the dispute, he armed himself with a knife from her apartment and drove Bob Lee to a deserted street, where he stabbed him three times before fleeing the scene.
Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai stated, “Our victim was stabbed multiple times. One wound pierced his chest, another his buttocks, and a third went through his heart, leaving him to bleed out on the side of the road.”
In response, Momeni’s defense attorney challenged the prosecutor’s narrative, arguing that Bob Lee was under the influence of drugs and acted aggressively towards Momeni. The defense contended, “The story we’ve heard is that it was Bob Lee who wielded the knife. Nima acted in self-defense.”
The attorney expressed that Momeni is eager to share his side of the story, though they have not yet decided if he will testify in his own defense.
Living in Emeryville, Momeni was arrested following Lee’s death and has remained in custody. On October 14, he appeared in court dressed in a dark suit, sitting alongside his attorney, while his mother sat alone nearby. On the opposite side of the courtroom were Bob Lee’s family, including his ex-wife, father, and brother.
Talai indicated that the jury would hear testimony from a friend of Bob Lee who had spent time with both Lee and Momeni’s sister the day before the incident. This witness is expected to reveal that Momeni had angrily questioned Lee over the phone that night concerning his sister, drugs, and “naked girls,” appearing to be overly protective and wanting to assert his tough demeanor, while Lee remained calm.
Furthermore, Talai noted that surveillance footage confirmed Lee entering the Millennium Tower, where Khazar and her husband lived, on the night of the incident. Around 2 AM, Lee and Momeni were seen leaving the tower together. Additional footage captured them stopping at a remote location near the Bay Bridge, where Momeni allegedly stabbed Lee three times before discarding the knife and driving away.
Talai also disclosed that they plan to present text messages Momeni sent to Khazar the following morning, in which he stated he had no knowledge of the events involving Bob Lee the night before.
Both Momeni and Lee’s family declined to comment on the proceedings. Judge Alexandra Gordon of the San Francisco Superior Court mentioned that the trial could extend into mid-December. If convicted, Momeni faces a sentence ranging from 26 years to life in prison.
