Accused Nima Momeni becomes combative

In a controversial second day on the witness stand in his own murder trial, Nima Momeni struggled – or refused – to provide many details about the April 2023 stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, or to explain his behavior in the days after the killing to lay. .

Instead, Momeni was argumentative under cross-examination by prosecutor Omid Talai, who tried to cast doubt on Momeni’s claim that he acted in self-defense.

On Wednesday, Momeni offered jurors his story about what happened in the early morning hours of April 4, 2023, when Lee bled out in the street with three stab wounds. Momeni testified that Lee pulled a knife behind him made a “bad joke” about spending more time with his family instead of strip clubs. Lee’s response forced Momeni to defend herself.

Momeni said he had no idea Lee had been injured and only learned of his death the next day.

During today’s testimony, Talai and Momeni traded barbs, and at times Momeni became emotional and wiped away tears. The argument prompted Momeni’s own lawyer, Saam Zangeneh, to silence his client from the other side of the courtroom at one point. On several occasions, Zangeneh nodded and said “yes” in apparent annoyance to his client, who dodged questions. Momeni paid no attention to it.

Later during interrogation, Zangeneh blamed Talai for the tension, suggesting it stemmed from the prosecutor’s inaccurate portrayal of Momeni to the jury.

“Is this…an insight into why you have been so confrontational with Mr. Talai?” Zangeneh asked this afternoon. Yes, said Momeni.

Talai, who spoke with a tone of disbelief throughout the day, questioned Momeni’s claim that he harbored no animosity toward Lee, or that he was unaware of Lee’s injuries or death until he read headlines about it.

“Do you agree that there is no point in someone who is not angry at all and is enjoying it taking a knife without a sheath on it and putting it in his pocket?” Talai asked, referring to Momeni’s claim that Lee pulled a knife from his pocket.