SAN FRANCISCO - Nima Momeni was in San Francisco Superior Court Monday morning to attempt to secure a new trial for himself in the killing of Cash App founder Bob Lee.
Murder conviction
The backstory:
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 18: Nima Momeni arrives in court at the Hall of Justice on May 18, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Paul Kuroda-Pool/Getty Images)
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 near the base of the Bay Bridge.
During the trial, prosecutors said Momeni sought revenge for his younger sister, Khazar, after she was sexually assaulted by a drug dealer. Momeni blamed Lee, saying the tech executive used drugs with her and introduced her to the dealer.
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.
Motion for a new trial
What's next:
Momeni's attorney is trying to get him a new trial, but has struggled to find evidence that he deserves one.
In court on Monday, his attorney filed a nearly 90-page motion for a new trial, but he told the judge that it is incomplete because he is still hoping to find for more evidence. The judge denied him more time to gather, pointing out that the motion was due on August 10 but he didn't turn it in until Sept. 28.
Still, the judge is giving the prosecution time to respond to the motion. And everyone is due back in court again at the end of October for her to rule on whether he will be retried, and if it is denied, also sentence Momeni.
The judge noted that it's been more than 3 years since the death of Lee and his family deserves closure.
Racial Justice Act
What we know:
Momeni's legal team previously tried to overturn the conviction using the California Racial Justice Act.
They argued 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.
But the judge denied that claim on Sept. 18 after finding no evidence of racial bias.
The Source: Information for this story comes from court documents and prior KTVU reporting.