Murder trial of tech consultant in Cash App founder’s death begins

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco prosecutors made opening statements Monday within the homicide trial of a tech marketing consultant charged within the stabbing loss of life of Money App founder Bob Lee, previewing a timeline of occasions earlier than the loss of life and makes an attempt afterward by the defendant to cover what he did.

Lee’s loss of life at age 43 — after staggering on a abandoned downtown San Francisco road searching for assist — shocked the tech group, and fellow executives and engineers penned tributes to his generosity and brilliance. Lee was chief product officer of cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin when he died. He was a father to 2 kids.

Prosecutors say Nima Momeni, 40, deliberate the April 4 assault after a dispute over his youthful sister, Khazar, with whom Lee was mates. They are saying Momeni took a knife from a singular set in his sister’s condominium, drove Lee to a secluded space and stabbed him thrice, then fled.

“Stabbed by his coronary heart and left to die,” stated Omid Talai, assistant district lawyer, “our sufferer was stabbed repeatedly, as soon as in his chest, as soon as in his hip and actually one puncturing his coronary heart. Robert Lee. Referred to as Bob.”

Protection attorneys disagree, they usually say that Lee, excessive on medication, attacked Momeni. They plan to make their opening assertion after lunch.

“Our principle is that Bob had the knife, and that Nima acted in self protection,” lawyer Saam Zangeneh informed The Related Press final week.

He stated his shopper is raring to inform his facet of the story, however they haven’t determined whether or not Momeni will testify in his protection. Momeni, who lives in close by Emeryville, California, has been in custody since his arrest days after Lee died at a San Francisco hospital.

On Monday, Momeni was seated along with his attorneys, carrying a darkish swimsuit.

His mom, who has been a steadfast presence at hearings, was in courtroom alone Monday morning. On the opposite facet of the courtroom sat members of Lee’s household, together with his ex-wife, father and brother.

Talai, the assistant district lawyer, stated jurors will hear from a good friend of Lee’s, who frolicked with him and Momeni’s sister the day earlier than Lee was stabbed.

The good friend will testify that Momeni angrily grilled Lee on the cellphone that evening over his sister, medication and “women getting bare,” appearing like “an overprotective, wannabe robust man” whereas Lee was being mellow and pleased, Talai stated.

Surveillance video of Lee’s ultimate evening reveals him coming into the luxurious Millennium Tower downtown, the place Momeni’s sister lives along with her husband, a outstanding San Francisco plastic surgeon.

Talai stated jurors will see video of Lee and Momeni leaving the constructing after 2 a.m. and driving off collectively in Momeni’s automobile. Different video will present the 2 males getting out of the automobile in a remoted spot by the Bay Bridge, after which Momeni stabbing Lee thrice, tossing the knife from his sister’s kitchen set and shortly driving away.

Talai stated the prosecution will share textual content messages through which Momeni, the next morning, tells his sister he didn’t know what occurred to Lee that evening.

The lawyer stated video recorded by a San Francisco police detective trailing Momeni earlier than his arrest reveals him reenacting the three stabbing motions outdoors his earlier lawyer’s workplace, however no reenactment of a wrestle over the knife that his attorneys say Lee wielded first.

Police recovered a knife with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade within the secluded space the place Lee was stabbed. Prosecutors stated exams confirmed Momeni’s DNA on the weapon’s deal with and Lee’s DNA on the bloody blade. However the protection has stated police ought to have examined the deal with for fingerprints, specifically Lee’s.

Lee was discovered round 2:30 a.m. within the Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, which has tech workplaces and condominiums however little exercise within the early morning hours.

He referred to as 911 as he staggered, bleeding out and begging dispatch for assist, Talai stated.

Relations for Momeni and Lee declined remark Monday.

Momeni, who has pleaded not responsible, faces 26 years to life in jail if convicted.

San Francisco Superior Courtroom Choose Alexandra Gordon has informed jurors the trial might final till mid-December.