Bob Lee case: Stabbing suspect Nima Momeni waves right to speedy trial; Car to be released from impound
SAN FRANCISCO -- The man accused of fatally stabbing tech exec Bob Lee in April made a brief court appearance Tuesday, waving his right to a speedy trial after reiterating his not guilty plea.
The appearance marked the first time Nima Momeni has been in court since a judge ruled on August 1 that he would face trial on a murder charge for the fatal stabbing death of CashApp founder Lee.
Momeni allegedly stabbed Lee on the 300 block of Main Street in the city's Rincon Hill neighborhood during an early morning confrontation back on April 4.
Momeni, 38, has been in jail since his arrest April 13. He faces 26 years to life if convicted of murder.
Momeni waving his right to a speedy trial stands in opposition to his earlier actions. His former attorney Paula Canny had expressed displeasure at Momeni pushing to fast-track the case, which would have given Canny and her legal team less time to form their defense.
The hearing largely focused on the status of the impounded white BMW believed to be Momeni's. The same vehicle is seen in surveillance footage showing Momeni and Lee in the car after leaving Millennium Tower together prior to the fatal stabbing.
Both the defense team and prosecution agreed the BMW had been sufficiently processed for evidence and did not need to be kept at the impound lot.
It remains unclear who will retrieve the vehicle and whether Momeni will be liable for what's expected to be thousands of dollars in impound fees. The defense requested the fees to be waived.
Momeni is expected back in court on October 2 to resume trial date proceedings.
Lauren Toms contributed to this story.
