Former medical examiner testifies – NBC Bay Area

A former forensic pathologist was at the center of Nima Momeni's high-profile trial on Tuesday.

Prosecutors began the day cross-examining Aranza Villegas. She testified that Momeni told her he wanted to sue Jeremy Boivin, the man who gave her and Momeni's sister the party drug “G,” which made them sick. She then produced a text message between her and Momeni.

In it he asks her to write everything down to use in a possible lawsuit. In this text Momeni mentioned Bob Lee for the first time. That text message occurred two days after Lee's murder – and several days before Momeni was arrested for murder.

Legal analyst Steven Clark said her testimony may have actually hurt the defense.

“If it was self-defense, why didn’t Mr Momeni call the police? Why didn't he provide help? Why did he throw away the knife?” He said: “All these things that the prosecution will say are about guilt. And now you have a text exchange between Mr. Momeni and a friend in which Mr. Lee is now dead and there is no mention of it. “

The defense's next key witness is Dr. John Maraccinni. He is a former medical examiner in Miami and Palm Beach, Florida. On the witness stand, Maraccinni was questioned by the defense about their theory that Bob Lee had the knife and Momeni was able to redirect it to stab first in the back hip and then twice in the chest. Maraccinni testified that it was possible.

The prosecution immediately asked him if this was just a theory, he replied that it was and if there were other ways it could have happened. He stated that there were other options.

The trial continues Wednesday at the San Francisco Hall of Justice.