The murder trial of Nima Momeni, the man accused of killing Cash App founder Bob Lee, entered its third day Wednesday with a close friend of Lee taking the stand.
Momeni is accused of stabbing Lee to death in the early morning hours of April 4, 2023, in a secluded area of San Francisco after an argument between the two men over Momeni's sister, according to court documents.
Bo Mhazzabi, a longtime friend of Lee, took the stand Wednesday afternoon and testified about meeting Lee on April 3 to catch up and get input on new work he was doing. He told jurors he met the tech executive at an apartment of another person and said Momeni's sister, Khazar, was also there.
Mhazzabi said Lee was on a conference call, adding that there were whippets present and what appeared to be white powder, but he didn't see anyone using the powder. He also talked about hearing a call later in the day between Lee and a man he believes was Momeni. In that call, Mhazzabi claims Momeni was raising concerns involving Lee and his sister.
That testimony could be key, with prosecutors claiming anger over an incident involving his sister is what drove Momeni to stab Lee to death.
Earlier in the day, crime scene investigators walked the jury through the painstaking process of collecting evidence, including the suspected murder weapon.
"The details of the investigation are absolutely critical because the prosecution needs to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt," legal analyst Steven Clark said. "What they’re doing now is laying out the foundation of their case."
Momeni's sister is expected to take the stand in the next few days.
Clark said her testimony will be critical.
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"Momeni's sister is the common denominator between these two men, and her testimony is vital," Clark said. "Can she establish who left with the knife that night? That is absolutely critical."
Momeni's legal team has called this a case of self-defense. They claim a drug-fueled Lee actually pulled a knife on their client, who then reacted to protect himself.
Lee’s family members once again were in attendance Wednesday as was Momeni's mother.
The trial is set to continue on Thursday. It's expected to last through mid-December.
