Official says videos show Nima Momeni and Bob Lee together before killing

SAN FRANCISCO – Several San Francisco police officers testified Wednesday in the trial of Nima Momeni, who is accused of killing Cash App founder Bob Lee, including an officer who collected surveillance footage that showed Momeni and Lee together shortly before the killing .

However, the defense argues that the videos are anything but evidence.

Officer Milad Rashidian told jurors he was responsible for searching the neighborhood for surveillance videos that showed Momeni and Lee in April 2023.

Prosecutors allege Momeni fatally stabbed Lee below the Bay Bridge because they believed Lee's alleged dealer had given Momeni's sister excessive amounts of drugs and touched her inappropriately.

In contrast, the defense said it was a drug-addicted Lee who was aggressive and brandished a knife. The defense said that prompted Momeni to take the knife and stab Lee in self-defense.

Rashidian testified that he received over a dozen videos from the area, including footage of Lee and Momeni riding together down an elevator in the Millennium Tower, where Momeni's sister lives.

He also said he found a video that showed Lee getting into Momeni's BMW outside the building, after which Momeni drove away. Rashidian said Lee appeared to be acting normally and Momeni appeared to be following all traffic rules.

Under cross-examination by the defense, Rashidian admitted that he could not determine the men's mood or level of intoxication from the videos.

KTVU legal expert Michael Cardoza said the jury must carefully consider the video evidence collected by the officer.

“Both sides will try to get the jury to interpret the matter in their favor,” Cardoza said. “The defense attacks it and says, 'Look, you can't tell the state of intoxication, you can't hear them talking, whether they're slurring their words, whether they have red or watery eyes or other signs of alcohol.' be under the influence.' But what this video does clearly brings them together.”

The jury also heard from Sgt Thomas Moran, who described discovering a Joseph Joseph brand knife in the kitchen of the defendant's sister, Khazar Momeni. The district attorney said Nima Momeni used another “Joseph Joseph” knife to kill Lee and later threw it over a fence.

Both Lee's family and Momeni's mother attended the hearing on Wednesday, which is scheduled to continue on Thursday.

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. Email Henry at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan