Nima Momeni: Bob Lee's alleged killer smirks in court as defense delays trial over drugs involvement
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Nima Momeni who allegedly fatally stabbed Bob Lee appeared for his arraignment on Tuesday morning, May 2. He is accused of driving the tech magnate to a secluded area in San Francisco, resulting in an altercation that went awry.
During the short six-minute court hearing, the suspect's lawyer, Paula Canny, informed the judge that she required additional time “to better prepare for the trial." Judge Victor Hwang of the San Francisco Superior Court asked Momeni whether he consented to waive his right to a speedy trial. “I trust my people, your honor,” Momeni responded The Sun reports. Canny confirmed that her client intends to plead not guilty, and as a result, the arraignment has been rescheduled to May 18th.
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Although the police are still investigating the circumstances that led to the gruesome stabbing, court documents obtained by NBC News indicate that there was tension between the two men, as evidenced by text messages sent by Momeni's sister Khazar Elyassnia to Lee. Additionally, the documents reveal that Momeni had expressed concerns about his sister's drug use. During Lee's final moment, he received a message on his phone sent by Nima Momeni's sister Elyassnia. who asked him if he was okay as "nima came wayyyyyy down hard on you."
An autopsy report revealed, the late tech executive, Lee, had a combination of drugs and alcohol in his system at the time he was fatally stabbed. The San Francisco Medical Examiner listed ketamine, cocaine, and alcohol in the victim's system, per the DailyMail. There were traces of cocaethylene, a substance formed when alcohol and cocaine are consumed together with the antihistamine levocetirizine. Once they exited the courtroom, Canny told reporters that the toxicology report would "absolutely factor” into the case. She also referred to Lee's system as “the Walgreens of recreational drugs.”
'Drugs did not play a role in the unfortunate incident'
According to District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, the defense has the authority to delay arraignment as long as it wishes, but she doesn't believe drugs played a role in the unfortunate incident. Jenkins dismissed Canny's comments, calling the attorney's statement regarding drug use a "customary defense tactic." Even though she hasn't read the report yet, she doesn't believe "that any drugs being present or not play a part in what happened."
Jenkins also stressed that the postponements of the trial have been disheartening for Lee's grieving relatives, who have attended every court hearing. "Bob Lee was loved tremendously by his family and by his friends, and they have committed themselves to be present at each and every hearing of this case," Jenkins said. "It's a testament to what victims have to endure in this system they have to be at the beck and call of the court until the defense chooses to move forward," she concluded. Momeni has been in custody without bail since his arrest and could face a life sentence if found guilty.