Momeni lawyers using Racial Justice Act to try to overturn conviction
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 18: Nima Momeni arrives in court at the Hall of Justice on May 18, 2023 in San Francisco, California. 38 year-old tech entrepreneur Nima Momeni was arraigned today in a San Francisco courtroom in connection with the st
SAN FRANCISCO - A court hearing is scheduled for Monday morning at San Francisco Superior Court to determine whether Nima Momeni will be retried for the killing of Bob Lee.
Murder conviction
What we know:
Momeni was found guilty of second-degree murder in December 2024 for the April 2023 stabbing death of the Cash App founder in San Francisco's Rincon Hill neighborhood.
Momeni stabbed Lee three times with a kitchen knife. During the trial, Momeni testified that Lee attacked him first and that he was acting in self-defense, but a jury found him guilty of murder after seven days of deliberation.
Now, nearly two years later, Momeni still has not been sentenced to the 16 years to life he faces.
Racial Justice Act
What we know:
His legal team is focused on overturning the conviction using the California Racial Justice Act. They argue the conviction should be overturned due to alleged racial or ethnic bias, saying prosecutors referred to Momeni as an "animal" and mentioned his Middle Eastern culture during the original trial.
The judge will need to decide on these post-trial motions before a sentencing can take place.
The Source: Information for this story comes from court documents and prior KTVU reporting.