Defense in Nima Momeni murder trial asks for mistrial as jury deliberates
SAN FRANCISCO - The defense in the Nima Momeni murder trial asked for a mistrial on the grounds of prosecutorial misconduct, alleging that a witness lied on the stand when he denied using drugs.
According to the defense filing, the prosecution allowed Bo Mohazzabi, a friend of Cash App founder Bob Lee, to lie during his testimony when he said that he did not use drugs, specifically cocaine.
During closing arguments, defense attorney Saam Zangeneh dropped a bombshell by playing surveillance video to the jury of what he said showed Mohazzabi and Lee snorting cocaine.
The defense went further, claiming that the same knife Lee used to snort cocaine with was later used to confront Momeni over a bad joke.
The prosecution said it was Momeni who attacked and stabbed Lee over his belief that Momeni's sister had been drugged and groped by Lee's alleged dealer.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Alexandra Robert Gordon the mistrial motion behind closed doors on Monday.
"Even though the judge denied it, should the jury come back with guilty (verdict) against Momeni, the defense can bring, after the verdict, a motion for a new trial," KTVU legal analyst Michael Cardoza explained.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan