DA discredits ex-SFPD inspector testifying for defense in Nima Momeni trial

SAN FRANCISCO - Nima Momeni answered dozens of questions from the jury in his murder trial on Monday, and a retired San Francisco police inspector who supported his self-defense theory was branded by a prosecutor as a liar being paid for his testimony.

The courtroom drama came as testimony in the trial was drawing to a close.

One key question for Momeni, who's accused of killing Cash App founder Bob Lee: If in fact Lee attacked you with a knife, why didn't you call the police?

Momeni answered, as he's testified before, that Lee walked away after the confrontation and that Momeni had no idea then that Lee had been stabbed. Momeni said he was physically fine.

Momeni also said his attorneys told him if police needed to contact him, that they'd reach out to him.

In calling retired SFPD Inspector Steven Pomatto to the stand, the defense sought to portray him as a respected former law-enforcement official whose testimony would buttress Momeni's self-defense theory.

While demonstrating with defense attorney Tony Brass, Pomatto said he believed it was a reasonable explanation that Lee came at Momeni with a knife, that Momeni grabbed Lee's wrist, which led to Lee getting stabbed in the hip. A further struggle then led to Lee getting stabbed in the heart and chest, according to Pomatto.

But on cross-examination, prosecutor Omid Talai went on the offensive, suggesting Pomatto had lied about having been a Navy SEAL while trying to get a department promotion.

Pomatto denied lying but acknowledged he was getting paid $400 an hour for his testimony, had never worked as a homicide inspector or qualified in court as an expert in self-defense.

Henry Lee is a KTVU reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan