now meanwhile on momeni's side of the family. i sat directly behind his mother who was on the edge of her seat, just as motionless as her son was who stared directly ahead towards the judge as he awaited to hear the verdict that determined his fate. >> all right, lauren toms, thank you very much. covering the trial for the past six weeks. >>> now let's get to max darrow who has reaction from both bob lee and nima momeni. what are you hearing? >> reporter: as you walked us through the timeline, this is a long and drawn out process for everyone involved. tonight, bob lee's friends and family will be able to sleep easier applauding that jury's conviction. and nima momeni's mother says this is a sad situation for everyone involved. 18 months after former tech executive, bob lee, was stabbed and killed in san francisco, his brother, timothy oliver lee, was finally able to let out a sigh of relief. >> can you take us to the moment you heard the word guilty? >> my heart, i don't know. all of the emotions at once. >> reporter: lee has be

nima momeni has been convicted of murder in the second degree. now this was a stunning moment inside the courtroom as the verdict was read. i sat directly behind nima momeni's mother as the verdict was read to determine the fate of her son. she was sitting on the edge of the seat. but the judge made a very clear strict ruling that no audience member should make any noticeable or audible reaction to the reading of the verdict. oliver was present along with his father and ex-wife krista, as well as their two children both as teenagers. when they said momeni was not guilty of murder in the first degree, at that moment he had a heart attack. the murder in second degree was read, he told me that he was satisfied with that outcome. he is hopeful that momeni will receive a sentence that will put them away for a rather long time. the goal was that bob lee's children, they will not have to see momeni on the street. this verdict will carry a minimum of 15 years to life in prison. momeni today was also found guilty of a tie enhancement for using a deadly we

after six weeks of testimony prosecutors today with their closing arguments that momeni intentionally and with premeditation stabbed bob lee, not only that, but they say the defense's case that momeni acted in self-defense is improbable because of lee's good nature. two key points prosecutors must prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. >> i don't want to see bob's kids ever have to watch the man that killed him back on the street. >> reporter: family and friends of bob lee's poured into the courtroom monday to hear the closing arguments in the trial of his alleged murderer, nima momeni. >> because this is emotionally taxing and very rough. i think i've aged five years in the last six weeks. >> reporter: never before seen video played by prosecutors revealed it's unlikely bob lee had a knife in his front right jacket pocket, as suggested by the defendant nima momeni. the video shows lee and momeni walking out of the lobby of the millennium tower apartments about 30 minutes before the stabbing as a gust of wind causes lee's jacket to flap, prosecutors saying shows lee never had a kn

nima momeni is guilty.it took the jury a week, but they found momeni guilty of second-degree murder for the deadly stabbing last april. cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, but momeni was seen wiping away the tears after the verdict was read aloud. and whether nima momeni meant to kill bob lee. our lauren toms has been following the trial from day one. >> reporter: well in the words of the judge, a solemn day inside the courtroom as the verdict was read convicting nima momeni of murder in the second degree. now this is a sizable step down from his initial charge of first-degree murder, but still with the potential of a hefty life sentence. and now this is not the end of the road for either party. both intertwined in loss, but committed to justice for their loved ones. after six weeks of a trial that captured national attention, in seven days of deliberations, the words guilty of murder in the second degree echoed inside a silent courtroom. for bob lee's family, it will mark the start of healing. >> an

nima momeni is now a convicted killer. the jury found him guilty of second degree murder of sap co-founder bob lee. lee was stabbed to death in april of 2023. the murder trial spanning two months. the jury taking nearly two weeks to decide. jurors reached their unanimous verdict late in the day. yesterday. it was just announced this morning. attorneys, family members and friends are packing that courtroom, hearing the decision live. we have team coverage on the verdict in this high profile trial. we begin with nbc bay area's sergio quintana, who is in the courtroom to witness it all as it played out. sergio, talk to us a little bit about the atmosphere when that decision was read. well, the judge was very quick to try to set the mood for the reading of this verdict. she told the audience, while she recognizes that there's probably going to be lots of emotions that are going to be running high on both sides of the courtroom, those who are there for the victim of this crime and those who are there for the defendant, the accu

over momeni's sister. while the defense said momeni was only defending himself against lee, who attacked him while high on drugs. >> this is obviously very disappointing for us. >> reporter: a conviction of second-degree murder will require prosecutors to prove the killing was intentional. but without premeditation. >> will and they just did not believe nima momeni's testimony based on all of the evidence that came in. they did not believe he acted in self-defense. they found he didn't and then he committed second-degree murder. >> reporter: they are plotting their next steps, hinting at appeals after multiple calls for a mistrial fell flat. >> these are hard fought battles. within this battle, there were a lot of decisions made. some of them we don't think are right. that's why we would have an appellate court. >> reporter: after the verdict, the district attorney weighing in on the evidence she believes would have them in favor of the conviction, including text messages, where his sister referred to her

what happens to nima momeni? so the judge probably set a sentencing date, as we talked about earlier, that will be in a couple months from now. and his attorneys in the interim will probably file a new trial motion based on maybe sufficiency of evidence or wrongful jury instruction, that a motion for new trial will probably be denied, because you're essentially asking the judge who heard the case to overrule himself, which rarely happens. so once that's denied, he'll be sentenced, get to 16 to life, and then his attorneys will probably file an appeal, which in cases like this, i've seen it done a million times. and we, of course, will be following the fallout from this verdict throughout the evening. for the latest. visit our website nbcbayarea.com. all right. now to the search for a hit and run driver in contra costa county. it put a man in the hospital with a severe brain injury, and now the family is demanding answers. let's bring in our jodi hernandez. jodi, i understand you were able to speak with the victim

all doubt and they also must prove that momeni acted with malice and forethought.ow, bob lee's kids were in court today at one point they left in tears as jurors heard about lee's death. coming up, the defense can deliver their closing arguments and then the prosecution gets a chance for a rebuttal and then it goes to the jury. >> nearing the end, thank you. >>> pirates raided boats in local marinas, efforts to remove them had some success. but, as we report they are back and budget challenges could keep them around. >> reporter: it is fascinating to talk pirates in oakland. nothing fun or romantic going around what will happen when the city starts swinging the budget ax at the police department.. >> our cities have money the oakland estoury is okay. then when they don't it is wild west on the water. >> reporter: this is latest homeless problem, not tents, adv. abandoned vessels and tom horton with the east bay rowing club says there are a lot of them on the oakland side of the area right now. >> the alameda police department is active about impounding and removing

this case could come down to communication between momeni and his sister, specifically if momeni was attempting to cover up a crime or if he was seeking his own justice for his sister. after six weeks in courtroom 28, the bob lee murder trial enters its final chapter. prosecutors on monday delivered their closing argument. painting a chilling picture of the night lee was fatally stabbed. a killing that they argue was intentional and planned by nima momeni >> i don't want bob's kids to watch the man that killed him back on the street that is the main thing, right? i never want to see that happen. >> reporter: as the prosecutor made his final pitch to the jury a new piece of evidence shown for the first time cast doubt on momeni's defense. the video captured just 30 minutes before the fatal encounter shows lee walking out of the millennial tower apartments, a gust of wind catches his jacket, lifting it just enough to reveal nothing. no sign of a weapon weighing down his right front jacket pocket as the defense had claimed. >> that was the pocket where the knife was supposed to be accor

degree momeni. now facing 16 years to life. their decision. my son is not such a thing, such a person. he is the kindest person. every mother would love to have a son like him. i will just say i think the jury got it right. it was a tough case. a lot of people contributed to this case, making me and dane's job fairly easy. we're grateful. we're happy with the verdict. all right. let's bring in our sérgio quintana, who's been following this case from the very beginning. sergio, you were in the courtroom as this verdict was read. what was momeni demeanor? and was his sister césar there? yeah, for the most part, it was a pretty solemn situation. and momeni himself was actually pretty quiet through the duration of the entire hearing. the big difference at that table, of course, is that instead of having five attorneys around him, which was the case through the duration of this trial, he only had two of those attorneys. that's because three of those members of his defense team actually live in miami, and

. >>> its, the jury found nima momeni guilty. he was acquitted on the more serious charge of premeditated first-degree murder. so, the conviction means a sentence of 16 years to life. cameras were not allowed in the courtroom but sketches show momeni wiping away tears after the verdict was read. lauren toms was in the courtroom and has fraction family members and what is next. >> reporter: juliette, a stunning verdict today. in the words of the judge a solemn day inside of the courtroom as the verdict was read. convicting momeni of murder in the second degree. now, this is a sizeable step down from his original charge of murder in the first degree. it still carries a potential life sentence. but, this is not the end of the road for either party in this case. both intertwined in loss come committed to justice for their loved ones. >> reporter: tensions hung heavy as bob lee's family filed in the courtroom passing shoulders for a brief moment with momeni's mother. two families braced themselves for the outcome. and then the verdict

he helped lay out what's ahead for nima momeni sentencing. but before sentencing, the defense might file a motion for a new trial, which is essentially asking the judge to find that there was a problem with this trial and give mr. momeni a new trial. that will probably be denied by the judge. sentencing will happen, he'll be sentenced, and then he'll be shipped off to prison. that sentencing, as we mentioned, is scheduled for three and a half weeks from now. of course, we're going to continue to follow the developments on air and online at nbcbayarea.com and our free nbc bay area news app. all right. let's talk about our weather now. new video of that tornado in scotts valley over the weekend. check this out. it looks like something out of a movie. this is dash cam video from a parked car. strong winds picking up as that tornado approaches. and then look at that. looks like mayhem. look at all the stuff flying around. this is debris in the parking lot. and then that car eventually flips over and collides with the truck. all of this happening

the mom of nima momeni has been there as well. every day throughout these proceedings, marcus and laura and we've been waiting for a while. the jury is deliberating for seven days now. do you think it speaks to where they lean in today's verdict at all? yeah, well, legal experts say that the amount of time that a jury deliberates may be indicative of where they lean. we spoke with steven clark, our legal expert, who has been following this case closely. he says there's a lot of evideou fx week trial, which included testimony detailing that drug fueled party scene of san francisco's tech elite. they heard testimony from momeni own sister, kesar, who was the key piece in connecting lee and nima, and they heard from the defendant himself, who says he acted in self defense the night that lee was fatally stabbed. now prosecutors, they laid out their case, saying momeni fatally stabbed lee to avenge sexual assault claims from his sister and a man that lee introduced to her. they presented testimony that said momeni dna was overwhelmingl

the trial of nima momeni is coming to a close.er six weeks of testimony and seven days of jury deliberations, the jury announced it has reached a verdict, but it won't be announced until tomorrow morning. momeni is accused of fatally stabbing cash app founder bob lee on the streets of san francisco back in april of 2023. nbc bay area's emma gaugh spoke to lee's ex-wife ahead of tomorrow's announcement. christa lee will be in the courtroom tomorrow morning to hear that verdict, which could have a number of different outcomes for momeni. he could get a life sentence, a few years in prison, or even walk away with a not guilty. the jury is out, but not for long. the verdict, to be read tuesday morning, comes after a long week of deliberations over a murder trial that has captivated the public over the past two months. obviously, because it took seven days, there was a tumultuous process going on in that deliberation room. nima momeni, the tech consultant accused of stabbing cash app founder bob lee on a dark san francisco street in ap

momeni. he's the man charged in the deadly stabbing of cashapp founder, bob lee. today in the bay. ginger conejero saab. she's live for us in san francisco this morning. and, ginger, i understand you spoke with lee's ex-wife. what is she saying about all of this? well, marcus christa lee, bob lee's ex-wife, is saying there is nervous energy before the reading of today's verdict. but regardless of where the verdict may fall, she says her family believes that nima momeni killed her ex-husband, bob lee. now, she shared several photos with us. one of her and bob from 20 or so years ago. she told me they first met at a local spot in saint louis and shared two kids. she says they maintained a very close relationship even after splitting in 2018. bob's birthday would have been on friday and he would have been 45 years old. even though there is a vacant seat at our table, will still be able to celebrate him and at least a little bit of justice that we hope to get. now, christa and her family will be

eliminate all doubt and they must also prove that momeni acted with malice aforethought. a couple of bob lee's kids were in court today and left in tears. coming up next, the defense get to deliver closing arguments and after that the prosecution makes its rebuttal arguments and then the case will go to the jury. >> thank you so much, anne. >>> today more bay area counties are launching care courts to get people help with severe mental healthcare issues off the street and to get them treatment. it's part of a plan from governor newsom inspired by he says street conditions in san francisco. alameda county is accepting filings in person starting today. care court was ruled out in only a handful of california counties last year. here in the bay area san francisco was one of the first. san mateo county joined in july. things have gotten off to a slow start. san francisco only had 47 petitions filed, san diego with the most, 247 petitions. newsom was hoping to help 2,000 people statewide by the end of the year. so far there have been fewer than half that number in. response th

. >> nima momeni convicted of second-degree murder of bob lee . >>> what can we conclude about how the jury reached a decision? we will have a live conversation with a legal expert about this recent verdict. >>> the rain has not kept people away from their last-minute holiday shopping. we head to the east bay , where the scramble was in full effect . >>> and umbrella will be necessary once again this morning, but look at the transamerica pyramid lit up for the holidays. we will continue to see more holiday themed decorations all week long but they will get wet. make sure you are prepared . i will have details on how long the rain will stick around. >>> thank you for starting a day with us . today is sunday, december 22nd, i am xterra. let's get over to first alert meteorologist zoe mintz on the sunday morning and it is wet. >> it is foggy and visibility is low, if you don't have plans this morning, it is one of those mornings that i would suggest staying in bed a little bit extra longer, no reason to hurry up and jump up. the sunrise is likely going to be mastered by foggy conditions a

the jury finding nima momeni guilty of murder in the second degree. but the judge really set the tone before it all started, saying that the reading of a verdict in a murder trial is a solemn event, and she encouraged the entire audience to restrain themselves from any kind of emotional outbreak. camarillo this was the scene heading into the courtroom to hear the verdict. you can see district attorney brooke jenkins with the family of bob lee and in the background, nima momeni mother in court. momeni rubbed his eyes after the court clerk read the jury's verdict. guilty of second degree murder andhe modifying charge of using a deadly weapon in the commission of that murder, a charge that will add weight at sentencing. followg the reading of that verdict, momeni mother, mahnaz tehrani, spoke in the hallway, telling us she tried to maintain eye contact with the jurors as their guilty verdict was being read. this is their decision. my son is not such a thing, such a person. he is the kindest perso. every mother would love to have a son like him. district

but nima momeni is. the court will continue tomorrow with closing arguments from the defense team at the hall of justice in san francisco. i'm sergio quintana, nbc, bay area news. okay. thank you very much, said hill. the u.s. supreme court, weighing in whether the fda illegally denied approval of flavored vaping products. this comes after a lower court claimed the agency failed to follow proper procedures when it rejected the applications of two e-cigarette companies. at todas hearing, most of the nine justices appeared to support the fda's decision, but legal experts say it is still possible the high court could find fault in the agency's approach. federal regulators, meanwhile, say vape products popose a heah risk to users. a special tribute for speaker emerita nancy pelosi. there is now a building in san francisco with her name on it. federal and state leaders officially renamed the federal building as the speaker nancy pelosi. federal building today. pelosi was there to unveil the new signage. after

momeni was charged of killing bob lee in april of 2023.round the world. we have team coverage of this highly anticipated verdict from how the families are processing the outcome to the potential next steps in the proceedings. but let's begin with lauren toms who has been in the courtroom every single day of this

momeni's attorney telling reporters it's no easy task for juries, momeni, or for the families. >> when you have other people deciding your fate, waiting an hour is an eternity, right? imagine waiting six days. >> reporter: the members of the jury have bonded in the last two months since uniting during jury selection. throughout the trial, they've asked dozens of questions to witnesses signaling they're inquisitive and thorough, but remaining closed lips on where they may land on a verdict. >> so they've endured a lot. and i know they want to complete their job, right? i think that's what they're trying to do. but we're at the conclusion of day six, and there's no answer. >> reporter: attorney shannon dougan says they have one of the hardest jobs in the case as the weight of their responsibility hangs heavy. >> but when it comes time to evaluate that evidence and make a decision, when they've got a man's life until their hands, or having someone take accountability for taking a man's life like bob lee, that's a huge responsibility, and they may very well be having very different opinion

that applied to momeni himself. so when this verdict was read, the the entire courtroom was completely silent. but you can feel both the intensity of this verdict for nima momenti and members of his family, and at the same time, a sense of relief for the closure of this period for bob lee's family, especially as they count down the days to bob lee's birthday, which is this upcoming friday. ryan. >>>>okay, thank you lauren toms for one last time covering the trial of mick mulvaney. thank you very much. well, moments after the trial, we also heard from nima, his defense team, his attorney, tony brass, with his reaction to that verdict. >>>>this is obviously very disappointing for us. these are hard fought battles. and within this battle there was a lot of decisions made. some of them we don't think are right. and that's why we have an appellate court. we're going to analyze this when we have time to calmly go through what the legal issues were. and if there were decisions that were made and evidence that was presented

we'll have to wait a little longer before we learn momeni's fate. our lauren toms has been on top of this case since it first broke out and joins us live now from san francisco outside the courthouse with more. lauren? >> reporter: yeah, juliette. just before 4:00 this arch we did get word that jurors in the bob lee murder trial have come to a verdict. we have no indication of what that verdict may be, but we do expect it to be read tomorrow morning at 9:30. now this verdict comes after 21 days of testimony and seven painstaking days of jury deliberation. nima momeni has been charged with murder in the first degree with a knife enhancement that carries 26 years to life in prison, but a judge instructed jurors to consider several lesser charges, including second degree murder which carries 15 years to life as well as manslaughter and a not guilty verdict or an acquittal. this is a decision the judge instructed jurors to come to unanimously. throughout this trial we have seen members of bob lee's family, family members that we can expect to see tomorr

over momeni's sister.nly defending himself against lea who attacked him while high on drugs. >> this is obviously very disappointing for us. >> reporter: a conviction of second degree murder requires prosecutors to prove the killing was intentional. but without premeditation. >> they just did not believe nima momeni's testimony based onall of the evidence that came in. they did not believe he acted in self-defense. and they found beyond a reasonable doubt that he didn't and then he committed second degree murder. >> reporter: the defense already plotting their next steps. hinting at appeals after multiple calls for a mistrial fell flat. >> we're going to analyze this when we have time to calmly go through what the legal issues were and if there were decisions that were made and evidence that was presented that should not have been we're going to take that up. mr. nima momeni continues to have a right to fight for his freedom. this is a very painful day. and this is not the end of the story. >> reporter: af

prosecutors say momeni killed lee after a fight involving momeni's sister. a drug-fueled rage following a bad joke and momeni was simply defending himself, but now the case has stretched well past the date even the judge

they found momeni guilty of second degree murder.. and they even showed new surveillance video suggesting that bob lee was the one in possession of the knife that is alleged to be the murder weapon. but prosecutors painted a much different story, and they say momeni was the one who lunged at lee to avenge sexual assault claims from his sister by a man that lee introduced to her. they also say momeni fled the scene after the deadly confrontation and did not call 911. the prosecution says they believe there was enough evidence for a first degree murder conviction, but they accept the jury's decision. i think we are satisfied with that verdict. of course, we presented evidence that we thought substantiated a first degree murder conviction. but at the end of the day, the jury has weighed in with their verdict. and we respect what that is. and we do understand, based on the facts, how they might get there. we will be following the fallout from the verdict of nima momeni throughout this day, and our live coverage picks back up during our 4

so at the minimum, nima momeni is facing 16 years to life.ain, there's no guarantee that he will get out. he will have to face the parole board of california, and he will have to prove to them that he is either contrite, remorseful, understanding of lee's life. ifs not, he might not get out. but again, he has to spend at least 16 years in prison before he comes before the parole board. >> henry, we heard the da this morning. they're just outside court. say that she is expecting an appeal. we heard bob lee's family members say they're considering a civil suit. clearly, this case isn't over. >> correct. it is a matter, of course, that the defense will file an appeal, going any evidence that they think should not have been brought forward by the da. also, they're going to go over the judicial decisions of judge alexanderrdon. that isr the courts. and of course, again, as you mentioned, bob lee's family planning to file a lawsuit. and that would be in the realm of wrongful death. but again, as michael cardoza, our legal analyst, rightly pointed o

the judge has to sentence momeni. that hearing is still weeks away.rea's sergio quintana has been following the story from the beginning. he's live tonight at san francisco hall of justice. and sergio, what was it like in the courtroom today when that verdict came down? well, the family of the victim tells me today that it was a nerve wracking morning. and the brother of bob lee, you can hear him talking just a few minutes ago, he told me that he nearly fainted when he heard the court clerk read that they. that the jury has had found nima momeni not guilty of first-degree murder, but then they all breathed a sigh of relief when the clerk then read that the jury did find nima momeni guilty of murder in the second degree in court. nima momeni rubbed his eyes after the court clerk read the jury's verdict of guilty of second degree murder, and of the modifying charge of using a deadly weapon in the commission of that murder. district attorney brooke jenkins sat with bob lee's family during the reading of the verdict. she hugged lee's daughter after they l

nima momeni. he's the man accused of murdering cashapp founder bob lee this morning. one of the jurors is out in a new one is in. this as the trial nears its end. today in the bay ginger conejero saab live for us at the courthouse. so, ginger, this comes really a pretty big day for the defense. that's right. marcus and laura, today is a big deal specifically for the defense because it marks the last chance that nima momeni nima momeni. s defense team has an opportunity to make a case for him. and it starts with some pretty big news. within the hour, the judge announcing that one of the jurors is unwell and will need to be replaced. that outgoing juror was a womanan and is now replaced with another woman to complete the 12. but as you mentioned, it is a significant start to day two of closing arguments today. the defense takes the lead after prosecutors took the entire day yesterday laying out their case against nima momeni. it was a case that had lots of evidence, including videos of the defendant

y lo cierto ahora es que momeni se enfrenta a una pena que va de entre los 16 a la cadena perpetua. parece césar y amigos, si lo que hacemos es revisar un poco cronológicamente cómo comenzó todo? es importante también que nosotros lo realicemos inmediatamente para entender cómo comenzó todo en aquel momento y en este crimen que conmocionó sin duda a la bahía. me voy a acercar directamente hasta este lado del estudio para explicarle un poco los eventos, los eventos que llevaron a este homicidio se desarrollaron exactamente aquí entre el 3 y el 4 de abril del 2023 a las 15:30 de la tarde. bob lee va al departamento de un amigo en la calle mission de san francisco. en el lugar se encuentra alcazar, quien es hermana del hoy acusado, el amigo de lee. y esto también fue importante dentro de la deliberación. lo escuchó hablando por teléfono como meni sobre su hermana y cerca de las 20:31 de la noche, exactamente. nima meni maneja hasta la torre millennium, donde vivía lee. ahí no queda esa conversación ya pasada la medianoche, es decir, el 4 de abril, bob lee también llega a la torre mille

nima momeni, an acquaintance of lee, was arrested several days later. momeni was charged with murder with a special allegation that he used a knife as a weapon. the trial started two months ago on october 14th, and deliberations began on december 4th. the jury reached a verdict late yesterday afternoon, and this morning the verdict was read. court will reconvene next month to reschedule or schedule a sentencing date. ktvu henry lee was in the courtroom when the verdict was read. >> after seven days of deliberations, a jury found nima momeni guilty of second degree murder for fatally stabbing cashapp founder bob lee. that means momeni is facing 15 years to life in prison, with an additional year for using a knife. when he stabbed lee three times, including in the heart in a secluded spot under the bay bridge back in april 2023. believing lee's alleged dealer had drugged and groped my sister, the sister césar momeni took the stand during this trial. the da says she owned a set of joseph joseph brand knives, the same brand he used to stab lee. momeni himse

momeni took the stand in his own defense in a rare move.the judge allowed jurors to submit questions to witnesses, including momeni. now, one of the focal points during juror questioning for many is why he didn't call 911 after he claims that lee attacked him. the defendant said he had no idea that lee was injured. now, this case has drawn national attention, both because of the high profile victim and the often salacious testimony involving an exclusive world of sex, drugs and parties that in this case has led up to the death of one man. now, once closing arguments end, the jury will receive the case. marcus. we can receive a verdict on this or hear a verdict on this sometime. this week in san francisco, ginger conejero saab. today in the bay. all right, ginger, thank you. well, also today, three men accused in the deadly shooting of a retired bay area police officer will be formally charged in court. kevin died while working as a security guard for a local tv news crew in downtown oakland. this was back in november of 2021. we know that l

family members of both lee and momeni were there for it all, day after day, filing in and out of the courtroom, and at times, tensions running high after a day of difficult testimony. >> and our family was the one that got murdered. she could go f herself. >> that was krista lee, bob's ex-wife, talking about khazar momeni, nima's sister, who has been a central figure in this days. right after the case went to the hands of the jury, as lauren toms tells us, she challenged a bomb shell dropped by the lawyers during closing arguments yesterday. >> i don't think my tears will ever dry, hearing his last words and watching him literally die on the streets is the most heart wrenching thing. >> reporter: the family hopeful for a light at the end of the long tunnel, as they will await a verdict from the jury. now that all testimony has concluded, pushing back on the defense's last-minute video, showing lee holding an object to inhale cocaine outside the social club. it is an item that they claim is the murder weapon, but posing an alternative answer. >> and the knife he was holding, something

after momeni told bob lee, a bad joke about his family, and it was momeni who tried to defend himself and then redirect that attack whereby bob lee was fatally stabbed three times. now the closing arguments have wrapped. so tomorrow we are going to return. the judge is going to give final instructions to the jury and then hand it off to them for deliberation. reporting live at the hall of justice. i'm sergio quintana, nbc, bay area news. okay. thank you very much. now, we have covered this case and trial since day one. we'll continue to do so until there is a verdict. you can stay with us on air and online for any updates. you can also download our nbc bay area app to get breaking news alert when a verdict is reached. just scan the qr code on your screen. caught on camera a suspected stolen moving van used in a destructive smash-and-grab robbery at this emeryville market. it happened at nirvana mini mart on san pablo avenue in late november, but nbc bay area has obtained the surveillance video, giving us a clearer look at the damage done and the suspects involved. velena jones reports

today, nima momeni's defense team had their turn to give closing arguments. trying to persuade the jury momeni was defending himself in the fight that ended with cash app founder, bob lee, stabbed to death last april. and the fiery final day of argument included never before seen surveillance video. a cardboard replica of a kitchen knife. a bag of sugar that is meant to illustrate cocaine. it was also a heated back and forth involving both attorneys and bob lee's ex-wife. our lauren toms has been in the courtroom from the very beginning. joining us live now. you were telling us this is one of the strangest days you've ever recovered in your careers? >> reporter: yeah, julia. let alone every pretrial hearing before this. today was definitely the most unique. their final push in this case. they used cardboard props, saying he acted it in self-defense. defense attorneys on tuesday, closing the door defending nima momeni with a hail mary in their closing argument. seemingly consuming cocaine outside the battery club hours before the stabbing. it's the object they

this is in the high profile murder trial of nima momeni.under bob lee. nbc bay area's ginger conejero saab shi takes a closer look at what's expected to play out in court this week. we expect attorneys to make a solid push to convince jurors of two very different versions of bob lee's death. prosecutors have argued all along that nima momeni stabbed bob lee to death in a drug fueled rage over an alleged sexual assault involving his sister and a drug dealer. his defense team, however, has said the stabbing was an act of self-defense. they claim it was bob lee who turned violent on momeny after the two did drugs in a car. who the jury believes rests largely on how attorneys will piece together one and a half months of testimony. testimonies have ranged from investigators assigned to the case. bob lee's friends, his sister kesar momeni, who is the tai to both men. lee and the defendant nima momeni took the stand in his own defense and in a rare move, the judge allowed jurors to submit questions to witnesses on the stand, including any one of t

the prosecution arguing the opposite, saying momeni targeted lee. they say momeni believed his sister had been drugged and sexually assaulted by a man lee had introduced to her. randall knox, an attorney who briefly represented balwani's mother, says the jury had a lot to consider. >> you start with, do people agree that it was premeditated and deliberate with malice aforethought? if 12 people don't agree to that, then they consider whether it's second degree murder, if they don't agree that he intended to kill him with that mental state, it could conceivably be reduced to voluntary manslaughter. >> abc seven news has been in court since the start of the trial. our reporters saying the testimony is given throughout the case were conflicting. legal analyst steven clark believes it could be his own testimony that could have ultimately swayed jurors. >> i think the big question for this jury is what did they think of mr. balwani's testimony? did they give him the benefit of the doubt? and how did that play into their verdict? >> while tuesday's verdict

momeni argues it was in self-defense. facing life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. our lauren toms has the latest. >> reporter: and this is in the hands of the jury and the waiting game begins. giving jurors additional information if they do come to a verdict and if they do not know on the verdict. this will mark a bit of a relief who anxiously sat through the trial, hopeful for a quick guilty verdict. but at this point, it is unclear how long distributions will take or what the verdict will be. and he did hear from the former wife who was wearing the necklace and symbolizing bob lee's wound where she believe they did their very best to bring them to live inside the courtroom. >> and they have a tough decision ahead of them. ever so grateful for our legal team on this and then most of ill, our judge, even more so, san francisco police. and i think they have all dope a phenomenal job. and for our family, we'll never stop fighting for bob's legacy. >> reporter: and now nima momeni has been charged with murder in the first degree, which carries 26 years to life in pris

prosecutors say momeni killed lee after a fight involving momeni's sister. momeni's defense team says it was lee who attacked him in a drug-fueled rage following a bad joke and momeni was simply defending himself, but now the case has stretched well past the date even the judge expected. our lauren toms has been at the courthouse covering this case since opening arguments. lauren, what can you tell us where things stand right now? >> reporter: yes, sara, another day without a verdict, jurors have spent six long painstaking days combing through dozens of pieces of evidence trying to get to a unanimous verdict, but at this point there is still no indication about when they may come to a verdict or what that verdict may be. now we have been in the hallway all week watching jurors come and go from the deliberation room with an array of emotions, all very much committed to seeing this through, but with no verdict still, that suggests there could be a split among the jurors and attorney saam zanganeh told us there have been some questions from the jury, including

while the handle of the knife is where 99% of dna collected belonged to nima momeni.or pulled it from the apartment where the men were hanging out in the hour before the stabbing. >> what the da also said is if bob lee had had this, what he called a death grip on the knife, then bob lee's dna would have been on that knife handle. very important fact and they reinforced it with the jury. >> reporter: final piece of the puzzle, prosecutors say, shows lee couldn't have grabbed a knife let alone pull it in an attack on another person. it's testimony from close friends of lee's about his character. teddy bear lovable, a hugger, words friends used to describe lee's state both sober and under the influence. traits the lawyer said as he wrapped up the argument to the jury that shows nima momeni's story was fabricated. >> now it's imperative that -- that we keep everybody really close at hand. and keep bob's kids close with us. so that we can in some way make up for this loss. right? >> well, lauren will be back in the courtroom and you can keep up with all of our trial covera

nima momeni has been convicted of second degree murder.s a brutal crime that made national headlines. cash app co-founder bob lee found stabbed to death on the streets of san francisco. nbc bay area sergio quintana has been following this story from the beginning, and has reaction tonight from momeni family and the family of bob lee. in court, nima momeni rubbed his eyes after the court clerk read the jury's verdict of guilty of second degree murder and of the modifying charge of using a deadly weapon in the commission of that murder. district attorney brooke jenkins sat with bob lee's family during the reading of the verdict. she hugged lee's daughter after they learned they found momeni guilty. she praised the two prosecutors on this trial amid to lie and reinstate, then went after some of the negative comments made on social media immediately after bob lee was stabbed to death in april of last year, elon musk took to twitter to make an effort to really shame san francisco and to make it seem like this was about lawlessness in san franci

but momeni said he was acting in self-defense.ay without reaching a verdict . joining us now is shannon dugan, a criminal defense attorney who has been a spectator inside the courtroom for the entire trial. shannon, good morning and thank you for joining us. you know, deliberation so far has been two days but as you know best, this has been a very, very, long trial. i think some could expect the deliberation could also be long. what is it that you think jurors are really talking about during these moments? >> yes. good morning. i think jurors are really grappling still with what happened. this is a stabbing where there were only really two witnesses, nima momeni and bob lee and bob lee is dead. i think they are trying amid six weeks of testimony and evidence presented by both sides to determine if nima momeni killed bob lee without any legal justification like self-defense and if the da has proven that , beyond a reasonable doubt. because if they think you may have killed bob lee without any legal justification but it does not ris

that includes momeni's sister khazar.k the stand for the first time when she gave critical testimony. the jury also ichiro suzuki her texts with both her brother and bob lee. reed? >>> well, all right, our lauren toms will be at the courthouse for the 9:30 juror announcement and we have live coverage and reaction throughout the morning. this is a big deal and it's been a big trial. you can find all of our coverage on the trial on our website. kpix.com. and the free cbs news app. >>> all right, moving on the map now this morning to oakland. sheng thao's term ends this afternoon. that's when the city council certifies election results and declares mayoral and district 2 vacancies. councilmember fortunato bas will be briefly interim mayor before joining the alameda county board of supervisors and we mean briefly. a matter of days. the council has a lot of issues on the table that affect all of you waking up this morning. budget challenges including potential cuts to police, fire and the ambassador program. leaders will meet

involving momeni's sister. prosecutors tried to show motive claiming that momeni drove lee to a dark san francisco street before attacking him and called into question his actions following the stabbing, asking why he didn't call police. momeni had said lee was the aggressor and he was acting in self-defense. >>> a small plane crashed in marin county today at gnoss field in novato. footage from our chopper shows the plane nose down next to the runway. county officials confirm a so-called ground loop during takeoff caused that crash. a ground loop is like a car fishtailing. this crash comes four months after a deadly small plane crash in the same field. >>> in east san jose a final vote is expected tonight on the proposed closure of seven schools in the alum rock district. that meeting starts in about an hour and comes as the district is facing a $20 million deficit. the strict needs to come up with a budget plan by december 16th or the county is going to take over. the school superintendent says each school clo

but this is not a fair >> now, fe, seven days of deliberations the jury in thek; nima momeni trial the killing of cash app founder bob lee. six men and six women finding guilty of second degree good evening i'm claudine wong. it's the murder case that has made headlinesld. andttorneys on both sides as well as family members. but first let's take you back to where this all began. i want to show you the scene back on april 4th in3. spot near the bay bridge that police found tech executive bob lee at 230 in the morning. he had beend been callip, and he later died at the hospital. now at first, authorities thought it could be a random attack, but then as the investigation took hold, it led police to this man. that's 40 year old nima momeni a tech entrepreneur who was introduced to lee through his sister. he was arrested at his emeville home a week after the killing and charged with murder. which now brings us to the trial which started back in october 19 months after the lasted for six weeks. jury deliberations lasted for seven days. ktvu henry lee has covered this case from the beginning,

exactamente deliberaciones hay veredicto en el caso nima momeni? momeni.micidio en segundo grado por el asesinato del fundador de catch up, bob lee. el veredicto se dio a conocer pasadas las 09:30 de esta mañan, aproximadamente. y nuestro compañero andrés brender ha estado allí. estuvo presente incluso cuando se leyeron los veredictos. vamos a la ciudad de san francisco. de hecho, usted ya lo ve. andrés primero. cuál fue la reacción también de los familiares de ambas partes al conocer este veredicto que estábamos esperando desde hace algunos días ya? qué tal? pues sí, había mucha expectativa, como se puede suponer en estos casos cuando se leyó el veredicto, pues la mamá de momeni dijo que acepta la decisión pero no la comparte porque su hijo no es alguien capaz de hacer este tipo de cosas. Él dijo que es un ser amable, que incluso cualquier madre desearía tener un hijo como él. por el otro lado, la familia de lee, el hermano dijo que pues fue encontrado por segundo grado, no por primer grado como originalmente se le había acusado. pero dijo que la buena no