Nima Momeni alleges racial bias in Bob Lee murder conviction

Nima Momeni, convicted of the second-degree murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee, is challenging his conviction by alleging racial bias during his trial. His defense team is invoking California’s Racial Justice Act, claiming that prosecutors used dehumanizing language and ethnically charged descriptions of Momeni, an Iranian-born non-U.S. citizen, during the proceedings.

A San Francisco Superior Court judge is scheduled to hold an evidentiary hearing regarding these claims. The high-profile case stems from the April 2023 stabbing death of Lee, a former Google engineer and tech executive, beneath the Bay Bridge. Prosecutors previously argued that Momeni targeted Lee in a revenge attack related to an incident involving Momeni’s sister.